by Kyira on February 17, 2012 Comments: 1
We work in many different schools, temporary housing sites, municipal housing sites and summer programs in New York City and lower Westchester. But, did you know that we also work in Head Start programs? We are currently working in the East Side House Settlement Head Start /Day Care with the Universal Pre-Kindergarten classrooms in all four of their Bronx sites. We talked about keeping our hearts healthy with the Valentine’s Day theme in mind. 
The pre-schoolers learned about and engaged in deep breathing, exercising and eating right to keep their hearts healthy. They especially loved making their Valentine’s Heart-Healthy Smoothie with cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, bananas and cranberry/raspberry juice. When we were finished, you could hear them saying, “I liked this!”, “Yay, we get the recipe. Now, I can make it at home,” and “When are you coming back?” It’s been an absolute pleasure working with these little ones. They are so full of energy and spunk. Best of all, they are open to trying new things and take in new information like sponges.
by Kyira on February 2, 2012 Comments: 0
I recently learned that Keys to Abundant Life not only gets the students and participants healthier, but we also get our very own culinary chefs healthier, too. Our culinary instructor at MS 598, Chef Wanda Rena Roig, affectionately known as Chef Rena, shared that since she has been teaching the healthy cooking classes with Keys, her health has improved. Chef Rena started working with us in April 2011. She had been taking medications for high blood pressure and diabetes daily. She recently confided that she has been off her medication for the last six months because she has changed her eating habits. Her blood pressure is normal. Her diabetes is under control. And, she has lost some weight. Chef Rena has even gone so far as to change the foods that she makes at her own establishment, Bon Appetit Xpress, located in Richmond Hills, NY: she no longer makes fried chicken. Instead, she makes baked chicken, which her customers have accepted and now enjoy. She stated that she has been learning so much more about health and nutrition since creating the lesson plans. She researches fun facts on the various foods in the lessons; she finds herself on the computer for hours reading more and more in-depth information on health and nutrition.
by Kyira on January 28, 2012 Comments: 0
I had the pleasure of leading two culinary classes at two of my Brooklyn schools last week. It was good to be in the classroom with the students. We made a ‘Baked Apple Crisp’ which the students loved. The students demonstrated a huge amount of determination, excitement and focus. They learned about sugar and its natural alternative sweeteners. They learned how to read the labels and expressed their shock and disgust at the amount of sugar found in beverages that they drink regularly. However, those activities exhibited the students’ weak abilities to translate fractions into whole numbers, calculate total measurements using smaller measuring cups and spoons, and multiply numbers. In one school, the students shared that they were learning fractions now, which confirmed my belief that teachers can only do so much teaching. Learning really happens when the student is able to apply his/her learning to daily living activities. So, it’s the job of the afterschool programs and especially the adults in the home to see that their children (our children) use their math skills when making meals at home, setting the table, working with money, doing house projects, and gardening. So, I challenge you to not tell your children what to do when it comes to counting, measuring and multiplying. Instead, encourage them to problem solve and think independently. During the classes, it was wonderful to witness the confidence and happiness displayed by the students when they got the mathematical answers correct. Let’s keep empowering our students by carrying over what they learn in school into functional, familiar activities.
by Patty Hennessy on January 11, 2012 Comments: 0
Participation in community service is one of the most effective ways to promote self-esteem and increase confidence in young people. Research supports the correlation between community service and increased resiliency in youth, but all the proof I needed was evidenced through the canned food drive organized by students from our Middle School Cooking Class at MS 598.
The response from the school community was strong, and the drive culminated on December 22nd, when the students delivered a variety of foods to the Caribbean-American Steel Pan Food Pantry located across the street. Our culinary students enthusiastically carried the boxes over, singing Christmas carols as we went. While the food-pantry patrons waited on line to pick up goods for their holiday feasts, the singing lifted spirits from the back of the line to the front: everyone gracefully made way for the students to make their delivery. When we apologized for holding up the line, those on line expressed gratitude and appreciation for all of the additional food items, showing that the total experience resonated deeply with everyone involved.
Because the students’ spirits were so high as they continued to sing on the walk back to school, sharing their experiences with teachers and the principal, I was so deeply moved that I just had to share my reaction. It reinforced my desire to increase our students to experience this kind of altruism. Talk about win-win situation!
by kyira on December 30, 2011 Comments: 0
Today’s Community-Based Organization (CBO) Exhibition Fair made me take a closer look at the teachings used in schools. It made me think of Gerry Price, a woman, an educator, an elder whom I greatly respected. She believed that students do not have disabilities. We, teachers and teaching artists alike, just have to figure out how to teach and reach students individually. She didn’t accept labels or medication for students; I don’t accept them, either. Interacting with the principals, counselors, and other school staff and learning about the various community-based organizations really made me think about the need for multiple modalities when teaching our children. They learn in so many different ways. Some students are visual, while others are auditory and tactile-kinesthetic. Our S.T.E.M.-based, healthy cooking classes focus on math, science, reading, independent thinking, leadership, writing and global studies through tactile-kinesthetic, auditory, and visual modalities. The other CBOs at the event focused on the arts, sex education, bullying and cyber-bullying, mentoring, entrepreneurship, foreign language learning, team building, empowerment, leadership, etc. taught in unconventional, interactive ways to reach students who benefit from non-traditional classroom management styles. Today’s event strongly confirmed the need for after-school or out-of-school-time organizations to keep open dialogue with day time school learning to work on enhancing students’ weaknesses/challenges using our unconventional teachings.
According to a recent article found on kidsgardening.org, it stated that, “One of the valuable roles teachers play is to help their students prepare for college and beyond. What major a student chooses in college or future career choices will likely be influenced by the exposures s/he has had throughout his/her education.” We, as CBOs, have a responsibility to expose and mold our future leaders into determining the career path taken. Through exposure and varied learning through our specific organizations, CBOs have the ability to improve a student’s reading, writing, math, science, independent thinking, leadership skills, as well as his/her confidence level, which in turn will shape the future/career path. Teaching is not easy. It is a challenge to reach the student who doesn’t excel through traditional learning. But, this is where CBOs shine. We have the ability and the duty to help our students to be the best that they can be. Meeting all of my fellow CBOs empowered me with even more passion to make a bigger difference in the lives of our students.
by Kyira on September 27, 2011 Comments: 0
School has officially started and it’s back-to-work for many, so hopefully you are geared up and ready with necessary supplies, fresh clean uniforms/ school clothes, a doable schedule and healthy breakfasts every morning. Start the year off right and each day on a healthy note. Begin by getting a good night’s rest. Turn off the television, video games and computers an hour before bedtime. Get the clothes ready the night before, prepare for bed and read a little before you go to sleep. Get at least six hours of sleep (ideally 7-8 hours), wake up rested, and have a healthy breakfast. When you get enough rest, studies show that you are less likely to grab for caffeinated drinks and sugar-loaded items to keep you up and going through your day. Having a healthy breakfast each morning will feed your brain and body much needed energy, allow you to focus on work and school, increase your attention span, encourage a more positive attitude and keep you from being hungry until lunch. Ideas for breakfast are:
- Fiber-loaded cereal (eg., rice bran) with bananas and small amount of milk
- Whole wheat or Gluten-free waffles with 100% maple syrup
- Two boiled eggs with toast
- Vegetable omelette with turkey sausage
- Two pieces of fruit with herbal tea
- Oatmeal
Being prepared leads to a less-stressful, more productive day. Your household and school-/work- day will run more smoothly because the necessities will be taken care of. Incorporate my suggestions into your day and comment on how it’s working for you.
Want to use this article:
You’re welcome to share this article in your newsletter, blog, website or publication. When you do, please include this complete blurb with it:
“Would you like to help your school or community get healthy? View my website http://www.keystoabundantlife.com, to learn how we can help and to sign up for my f-r-e-e report “3 Easy Steps to Healthier Kids”.
Kyira Harris, MA, is the president of Keys to Abundant Life, Inc. Her four-step system effectively teaches participants healthier ways to eat and live more balanced lives.
