Youth Classes and Workshops

Youth nutrition classes take place at various community sites, including preschools, classrooms, out-of-school programs, and summer youth camps. Youth topics include healthy snacks, food safety, handwashing, healthy drinks, MyPlate, physical activity, breakfast, food preparation and kitchen safety.  

The following classes are part of the Nutrition Education Program funded through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education Division (SNAP–Ed) and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Classes are offered at no cost to income eligible participants. For more information contact Audra Losey .

Nutrition School Enrichment Kits

  • Nutrition School Enrichment Kits provide a unique and evidence-based approach to teaching health to Nebraska's youth. Youth will develop skills and knowledge to meet the 10 School Components of the Whole School, Whole Community, and Whole Child (WCC) Model for youth K-5th grade.  

  • No cost to schools located in Douglas and Sarpy Counties with 50% or more free/reduced price lunch participation thanks to special grant funding from SNAP-Education.  

  • What is included? School Enrichment Kits include teacher guides, 5 grade specific lesson plans, and all lesson plan materials. 

  • How does it work? Nebraska Extension's Nutrition Education Staff will deliver materials and teach an introductory lesson. The kits will remain in your classroom for 3 weeks. Staff will return to teach a concluding lesson and pick up the kits. 

Two women looking at a notebook in a classroom with a table of books in front of them.

Food Smarts Youth

Multi-Class Series

  • Food Smarts is a flexible, learner-centered cooking and nutrition curriculum with materials and lesson plans for grades K-12. It aligns with trauma-informed principles and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  

  • A variation of this curriculum is available for high school students and young adults.

 Reach out to Audra Losey to learn more.

Woman teaching nutrition in a classroom.

Learn Grow Eat & Go!

Early Childhood

This 4-week curriculum is for early childhood students from Pre-K through Kindergarten.  It combines the best of plant and garden learning, food exposure, brain- and-body boosting physical activities, and novel, effective parental engagement. 

Reach out to Alyssa Wessling to learn more. 

A woman teaching nutrition to a group of children sitting at a round table in a classroom.

Marathon Kids

  • Marathon Kids is a running club that encourages kids to accumulate 4 marathons by running or walking at their own pace.  

  • It is built on 6 evidence-based pillars: goal setting, tracking miles, role modeling, social support, celebrating, and reinforcement items. Research findings show increased physical activity, increased fruit and vegetable consumption, and increased athletic self-perception at post-program evaluation.  

  • Training is available to community members, teachers, or youth group leaders that would like to start their own Marathon Kids Club.  

Reach out to Audra Losey to learn more. 

Male teacher walking with 5th grade students outside a school.