Candace Russo gets excited about dirt! A soil scientist, she enjoys helping children examine soil nutrients through the Linus Pauling Institute’s Healthy Youth Program.:
Russo, the Garden Manager at HYP, helps children enjoy gardening, harvesting, and preparing healthy foods. Combating obesity in today’s young people is a focus of the Healthy Youth Program, explained Russo, As many as 24 percent of Oregon youth are considered obese and “a declining emphasis on nutrition and inactivity among children are contributing factors,” she says.
Programs offered through the Institute include Spartan Gardens at Corvallis High School and the Lincoln School Gardens in south Corvallis. CHS students grow vegetables used in culinary classes and offered at tasting tables for the student body to sample. At Lincoln School, the gardens are a “family sharing” opportunity, where families learn about gardening and cooking.
The Institute offers a summer camp called “Chefs in the Garden” where elementary children try recipes using fresh foods. Other programs include Grocery Store Tours, Fresh Grown cooking classes, and a nutrition curriculum for elementary children.
