Greenlee AZ Health Zone (SNAP-Ed)

The goal of AZ Health Zone is to influence healthy eating and active living in a positive way that promotes health and reduces disease among all people living in Arizona. To accomplish this in Greenlee County, we have partnered with Duncan Schools to build and help maintain a school garden. The students in grades 3-5 learn about gardening and nutrition, giving the youth opportunities to plant seeds, transplant vegetables and flowers into the garden, and sample healthy foods. Grades K-2 are also taught a series of lessons about healthy eating and participate in fun physical activities. AZ Health Zone has helped Duncan Schools form a School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC); they sponsor such things as Running Club at school and the community-wide Color Run. The SHAC helps to deliver environmental changes in the School so that the healthy choice is the easy choice for students.

In the Duncan Head Start, AZ Health Zone has helped to re-energize an existing garden. While providing nutrition and gardening lessons to their students, we have helped the young children plant flowers and vegetables, exploring other garden topics with them.

AZ Health Zone also conducts KIDZ Cooking Club in two county libraries during the summer, helping young people learn to prepare delicious food that is good for them. During these classes, which have become very popular, the youth also play games that provide fun physical activity.