Grace Christian School in Mt. Olive recently held a day for learning about different programs that are available through Alcorn State University.
Forty-eight children were able to hear about nutritional choices that the older generation called the “Food Pyramid” and the younger group calls the “My Plate” program.
The program was hosted at the home of R. D. and Joyce Nelson near the Skiffer community.
The Nelsons’ home was selected because of the relationship they have with the community as well as with Alcorn. R. D. has a close working relationship through the Mississippi Syrup Growers and Producers Association as well as his participation in the Mississippi State Fair for the past two years.
In addition to learning about agriculture’s impact on the environment, children were given the chance to learn about the positive and negative impact of agricultural science. They were broken into two different age groups, ages 6 to 8 and 10 to 14.
Ralph Arrington, director of the Agriculture Extension Service for Alcorn, said this is part of STEM education, which incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering and Math into programs offered through Alcorn, which is located in Lorman, Miss., just outside of Port Gibson.
The extension program through Alcorn has four major focuses: Agriculture, 4H, Family and Community. The goal of the agriculture effort is to improve farm income through improved yield programs and in turn to develop more agricultural opportunities. The purpose of 4H is to help young people build skills that will make them more productive as adults. Building the Family unit promotes better quality of life for the members. The Community aspect provides more opportunities for the neighborhoods that participate and offers an improved environment. The goal is to empower people for a better future.
In addition to having an opportunity to learn about healthy meal choices, the young participants also had the opportunity to sample a fruit smoothy made fresh as they watched.
