The Educated Choices Program recently had the privilege of sharing our solutions for food education at the 2nd Annual Partner Fair hosted by NYC Public Schools in Long Island City, New York. This event served as a pivotal opportunity for our team to engage with educators from over 140 New York City schools.
Our participation in this event was made possible due to our involvement in the Food Ed Hub hosted by the TISCH Food Center, a program working to ensure that all NYC students have quality food and nutrition education and sustainably produced, culturally responsive, healthy school food. This networking opportunity further underscores our commitment to advancing food education and the support we receive in doing so.
Showcasing Our Innovative Digital Library
Elise Ferguson, a valued member of our team and curriculum developer, represented our organization at the event. Ferguson showcased our program’s innovative digital library designed to help educators easily and effectively integrate food-related climate and health curricula into their classrooms. A live demo showcasing ECP’s videos, lesson plans, activities, discussion prompts, homework, quizzes, and follow-up resources interested attendees.
One of the key highlights of our participation was the warm reception from the audience, particularly those interested in food education and healthy eating initiatives. As Ferguson clicked through the digital library, teachers had an opportunity to view our informative and colorful animations illustrating the connection between diet and human and environmental health, with professional voiceovers simplifying scientific concepts. The event’s focus on plant-forward initiatives aligned with our mission, fostering meaningful conversations on integrating these values into educational frameworks.
Supporting Special Education Classrooms
Our commitment to accessible materials facilitated a standout moment as Ferguson interacted with high school special education teachers, who expressed interest in adapting our materials for their classrooms. This dialogue highlighted our program’s flexibility and inclusivity, ensuring that our resources can be tailored to meet the needs of students with diverse learning abilities.
Julie Massa, ECP’s Director of Curriculum Development, emphasizes this adaptability, explaining,
“Our videos can be facilitated in whatever ways teachers see fit—shown in parts, slowed down or paused for discussions. All resources include easy-to-follow steps/processes and clearly defined vocabulary terms. We also include many activities in our accompanying education packs that teachers can modify to meet their specific students' needs.”
Expanding Our Curriculum for Younger Learners
Elise fielded numerous inquiries, including elementary teachers' interest in materials tailored for younger students. Building on this enthusiasm, we were excited to share our plans to develop educational resources specifically designed for ages 8-11 by the end of this school year. Educators can expect detailed updates as these materials come to fruition.
Aligning with Academic Standards
Aligning our academic standards with those of New York State was a topic of great interest to attending teachers looking to integrate our materials into their curricula seamlessly. Ferguson welcomed discussions and questions regarding this topic as our organization prides itself on our evidence-based materials that align with academic standards in New York and worldwide. ECP has evaluated academic standards in dozens of countries to create a comprehensive guide, now available to educators, that makes it easy to see how each of our education packages applies to a variety of subjects, simplifying classroom planning.
This show is the first of many this semester, with plans to share our program at SHAPE Washington, Oregon Science Teacher Association, Georgia Educational Technology, National Science Teacher Association, Association of Middle-Level Education, and Advancement of Science Teaching conferences before the end of this year.
Are you interested in bringing Educated Choices Program resources to your classroom? Visit our video library today.
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