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s one of the Kansas Dining with Diabetes (DWD) Program Lead Trainers, my responsibilities for this program go beyond the classes being held in Wildcat District. On April 5, our DWD Kansas Leadership Team hosted an Instructor Zoom Update which we made available to the more than fifty Kansas Family and Consumer Sciences Agents that we have trained to lead DWD classes.
During this instructor update, we reviewed DWD program protocol and impacts, shared new resources we had become aware of or created ourselves for the program, identified and reviewed program delivery and program management best practices, and answered questions from zoom participants. This type of training helps promote communication among our instructors and helps keep everyone aware of any changes. It also serves as a time instructors can use for sharing their own ideas and class presentation tips among our group.
Diabetes adversely impacts the lives of over 282,000 adults in Kansas, and the estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes incurred by the State of Kansas is $2.4 billion (2017). It is encouraging to know that our DWD classes are making a difference and easing the burden of diabetes in Kansas. Watch for details of our next local class coming up in August in Parsons.
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is another series of classes that is making a huge impact in Wildcat District as well as around Kansas. Sometimes it takes some scheduling “magic” to get a class with sessions twice per week for eight consecutive weeks on the calendar, but the results are more than worth what it takes to share this program with our participants.
I just finished my latest Stay Strong, Stay Healthy series in Coffeyville and was gratified, as always, when comparing the results of the post assessments with the pre-assessments done eight weeks before. It is always amazing that these simple movements done correctly and consistently can make such a difference. While we were preparing to begin her assessment, one lady commented to me that she “didn’t know if the post assessment would show any improvement, but she knew for certain that she was in much better shape than before.” The assessment did indeed prove what she already knew…higher scores in most every area! Look for details of our next class series tentatively beginning in June!
Making Learning Fun
We totally enjoyed sharing information about growing and milling wheat, as well as about dairy farming and milk production with third graders in Cherryvale recently. Students got to try their hand at making butter and baking bread as well while our Extension team of Agents, Nutrition Assistants and Master Food Volunteers spent a morning at their school. We keep getting invited back each year to facilitate this fun and educational event with these amazing kids and their teachers, and I for one don’t mind a bit!