Kids-in-the-Kitchen Ruby Young Elementary After-School Program

Dickerson Center for Civic Responsibility, Inc., in partnership with Junior League of Dallas, applied for and implemented Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) program grant at Ruby Young Elementary (RYE) as part of their after-school programming.

KITK is a nationally recognized health education program that empowers youth to learn the importance of preparing healthy meals, educating them and their parents, regarding overall nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices.

Launched in February 2016, KITK impacted the lives of 70 students, promoting healthier lifestyles through a hands-on, interactive eight-week program.

Dickerson Center volunteers worked alongside RYE after-school staff, RYE/PTA volunteers, and district high school volunteers to facilitate the program. Working with students in kindergarten through fifth grade, we delivered the curriculum that included age-appropriate recipe preparation, fun exercise activities and take-home items including nutrition and fitness tips for the whole family.

The KITK curriculum incorporated the United States Department of Agriculture’s “My Plate” program that focuses on having the right proportions of grains, proteins, vegetables, dairy and fruits in your diet.

Funded by Junior League of Dallas and sponsored by United Healthcare.