Center of Excellence - Events
The Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness and Quality of Life participated in Scotlandville’s Kids fest on June 11, 2022. Families from all over Baton Rouge came out and participated in a day full of activities with food and fun. At our booth, children were able to demonstrate how to properly plant sunflowers and identify the different parts of the plant. We also connected with members of the community about several programs that we are offering this summer. Funding was provided by the Walmart Foundation Center for Racial Equity and the 1890 Universities Foundation.
Photos from this event are available here.
Summer 2022 Events
On August 10, 2022 Participants attending Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness and Quality of Life at SUAREC nutrition education class, appreciated the presentation titled "Behavior Change: Making it Happen" on the importance of changing one's overall behavior to acquire and maintain positive healthy behaviors. Our presenter, Ms. Kiyana Kelly introduced the idea of SMART Goals, allowing listeners to create and identify realistic goals. The group was able to practice transforming habits with a food demonstration on the topic of vegetables. They participated in a hands-on food demonstration where they prepared Buffalo Cauliflower tacos. The tacos consisted of air fried cauliflower tossed in buffalo sauce with an avocado crema slaw. Participants were surprised that they enjoyed the recipe, and they were not affected by the absence of meat.
On Thursday, August 12th, our Scotlandville CDC class participated in a class with Senior Research Associate Program Trainer Mila Berhane. She gave a detailed presentation on a variety of herbs that can be impactful in daily tasks. Participants were able to learn key steps in starting an herb garden and the best conditions for them to thrive. Ms. Mila brought a surplus amount of herbs for participants to smell and identify. Everyone was excited about learning new ways to use herbs outside of the kitchen, such as a catnip herb that can double as an insect repellent. All participants were excited about this week's topic and eager to come out next week to learn a new lesson.
On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, our Scotlandville CDC class participated in a class with Program Leader/Trainer of the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certification Program Dr. Marlin Ford. Dr. Ford gave a hands-on presentation on several types of Ponic systems which included aquaponics, hydroponics, and aeroponics. The participants were able to help replenish the hydroponic system that was provided to the Scotlandville CDC by the Center of Excellence program. The class replenished the system with collard greens, tomatoes, and bell peppers. The women were eager to get their hands dirty and worked well with the task at hand.
On Wednesday, August 31,2022, our Scotlandville CDC class participated in a class with SU Ag Research Department Entomologist, Dr. Veronica Manrique. Dr. Manrique gave an in-depth presentation on garden insects. Being familiar with the types of insects is a major tool in maintaining a successful garden. Many beneficial insects are overlooked and often terminated. Dr. Veronica’s knowledge was impactful and gave a new perspective. Getting acquainted with insects can be a daunting task, but with patience and growth it can turn into a beautiful relationship.
On Wednesday, September 7, 2022, the Scotlandville CDC class participants attended in a nutrition education/ food demonstration class by COE Center’s Program Coordinator Brittany Howard. The topic of the evening lesson was "Meals to Menus: Straight Ahead on a Healthy Way Drive". Participants were able to identify steps in planning and preparing a healthy meal. This leads to more control over one's food choices and allows participants to save time and money. Tips to modify everyday recipes and the importance of understanding the nutrition facts label were also discussed. The class ended with a food demonstration on the preparation of Lettuce Wraps. They were able to create a simple healthy taco with ground turkey meat, that left them wanting more.
On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, the Scotlandville CDC class participants attended in a nutrition education/ food demonstration class by COE Center’s Program Coordinator Brittany Howard. The topic of the evening was "Fad Diet: Fact or Fiction". Participants were able to identify Fad Diets and share their past experiences using those diets as a way of losing weight. We were able to break down the trends seen in participants that wanted to make lifestyle changes. With that information, we identified healthier options to use in the future. The class ended with participants making their own fruit smoothies. This was a super convenient way to consume daily requirement of fruits and vegetables while also nourishing the body with many essential vitamins and minerals.
Our Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life hosted a Dinner and Podcast sponsored by our Center and LLENA. Chef Desi prepared food and gave a mini food demonstration open to the community and the members of Scotlandville CDC that participated in our summer classes. The ladies from our summer class were able to give an honest interview in the “Don’t Eat Yourself to Death Podcast,” allowing them to share their experience with likes/dislikes of the program and their healthy lifestyle changes.
On October 8th, we held our first Community Garden Day in the Scotlandville community and added new produce to the garden. With the joint help of our Jags in Ag recipients and Chris and Camille’s Family Farm, we are ready for the fall season. Please join us for our next Garden Day on October 22nd from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
On the week of October 3rd – October 7th we were honored to host Southern University’s Dietetic Intern Latoyia Beard who worked with Dr. Fatemeh Malekian, a preceptor for the dietetic program, and Project Director of the Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life. Ms. Beard gained experience by conducting nutrition education to the community for the Sisters Together program, attended produce safety training, volunteered at the Scotlandville Community Garden, and worked in the metabolic kitchen. On October 12th, Ms. Latoyia Beard presented to the Dietetic Internship Class of 2023 and the Center of Excellence Team for NHWQL. Her topic was, “Artificial Intelligence in Dietetics” which covered the benefits of artificial intelligence in nutrition and dietetics as it relates to consumers and dietetic practice. Ms. Beard effectively provided various examples of AI programs that creates accessibility to the community, improved education, customer experience, research, and data analysis.
