Healthy Habits After School Program
We are excited to offer a short-term after school program at Skamania School this Spring on early release Wednesdays.
This program is open to students who attend Skamania School in grades K-8. It’s important to note, no transportation to or from the program is available.
Students in grades 6th-8th may sign up to participate as Junior Teachers. They will receive training on Wednesday, April 19th from 12:30-2:00. Junior teachers learn how to work with younger students, run activities, and model good choices. They develop leadership skills over the course of the program, and have the opportunity to earn an Amazon Gift Card at the end.
Register by Monday, April 17th by clicking on the red button above!
Program Dates:
Wednesdays from 12:30-2:30pm
- Junior Teacher Training: April 19th
- 1st Session: April 26th
- Last Session: June 7th
Students will report to the cafeteria immediately after school. Snacks will be provided. Together with our junior teachers, volunteers, and 4-H staff, students will get to read stories, learn about plant and health science and nutrition, make easy & healthy recipes, practice mindfulness, and play!
Newsletters and Additional activities will be sent home to keep the fun going!
*A minimum of 10 students is required to run the program. Space is limited and if needed, we will have a waitlist. Volunteers are always welcome to help make sure every kid who registers can participate.
Families will receive a confirmation email the week of April 17th.
Why Healthy Habits?
- Each participant will receive a Hands-On Learning Materials
- Build Healthy Decision Making skills like
- What to Drink
- Making Healthier Food Choices
- Trying New Foods
- Nutrients and Reading a Food Label
- Learn about Plant Essentials and how we can grow and appreciate a variety of fruits & vegetables
- Entered to win fun 4-H SWAG and Giveaways ~including a chance to get some of the books we read during our program
- Interact with Junior Teachers and other Peers to learn important life skills!
Need help connecting?
Can’t join the in-person program? Request a Remote Kit and use our self-directed activity guide to complete hands-on projects at home.
Call Skamania County 4-H 509-427-3932 Email: somer.meade@wsu.edu
About Healthy Habits
Healthy Habits is a 4-H program designed to teach youth the basics of nutrition, plant science, mindfulness, and physical fitness in an effort to empower them to make healthy choices. The Skamania County WSU Extension 4-H program received a grant from the Walmart Foundation to offer this health and wellness-focused program to students in Skamania County.
To increase the impact of the program, we utilize a teen teaching model. Local teens and pre-teens are recruited and trained to deliver this program with the support and supervision of the 4-H Program Coordinator. More information about the program can be found below.
Youth do not need to be 4-H Members to participate. Registration will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis. A waitlist will be established and worked from in order should students not be available to participate at any point during the program. It is requested that participating students attend all sessions.
What to Expect:
Engaging lessons will include hands-on activities that youth can complete with the help of our teen teachers, and then bring home to share. A book that connects to the lesson will be read. Suggested recipes for continued learning will be provided weekly.
Youth will have the opportunity to study the essentials of life, explore garden science, practice mindfulness habits, make healthy choices, and engage with their peers in play!
Make a Food Chain
Over a set period of time make a family Food Chain listing all of the foods that family members tried that were new to them. We suggest doing this over a month or even over the entire summer.
Try an Alphawalk outside!
Take a medium-paced stroll around your yard, neighborhood, or community park with your family. Guess before you go how long it will take to walk around at a medium-paced stroll. As you walk spot and call out objects that start with each letter of the alphabet in order. For example, if after starting you walk you see an ant say “ant”, then you see a bird and say “bird”. Your goal is to find objects for as many letters as possible before your walk ends. See if you beat your original guess on how long it would take. Repeat and try to beat your time or repeat at different locations.
Featured in our Program:
-
Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root
-
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
-
Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens
-
I Am Peace: a Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde
-
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
Consider these books:
- Rah, Rah, Radishes! by April Pulley Sayre
- Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood
- Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat
- Our Food, by Grace Lin
- Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban
- Calm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Calling Teens! We’re Recruiting for our Program!
What does a Healthy Living Teen Ambassador do?
- Attend fun training sessions with other teens where you will learn to help younger kids have fun while they learn about health, nutrition and fitness
- Facilitate lessons on healthy living, including reading books, asking questions, and engaging with kids
- Lead active games and exercises
- Show kids how to make simple, healthy snacks
Why should you be an Ambassador?
- Earn an Amazon gift card
- Add experience to your resume
- Flex your leadership skills
- Optional future travel opportunities
- Build your social group
- Give back to your community
- Learn by doing!
Program Contact:
Somer Meade, 4-H Program Coordinator
somer.meade@wsu.edu, 509-427-3932
Skamania County Washington State University Extension
Mailing Address: PO Box 369, Stevenson, WA 98648
