What Teachers Are Saying

Mark Ringlein, Assistant Director EHOVE Career Center who has helped with many Veggie U school programs said, “The Earth to Table program is an excellent way to teach young children about making wise choices when selecting items to eat. The curriculum emphasizes scientific principals and the importance of sustainable practices. It is very important for us to provide the foundation for life-long habits of good nutrition… The Earth to Table program helps provide that foundation.”

Noble Elementary School teacher Judy Downie, Tiffin, OH said, “The Veggie U program is important for several reasons. We feel this program is important because it provides a connection for children between the food that is on their plate, where it comes from, and the impact it has on them. It teaches children about making wise eating choices, provides a strong foundation in science and introduces children to the concept of sustainable agriculture.”

Terri Jones Special Education Supervisor at Licking County Educational Service Center, Newark, OH, said about Veggie U, “I feel that many of our students and their families fail to understand the importance of choosing foods and activities that are healthy and they will serve them through their childhood and into adulthood. I believe strongly that our students learn best hands-on activities and this program world complement our science curriculum in a very positive manner.”

Mark Doughty – Woodlands Intermediate School Huron, OH – said by teaching the Veggie U program… “We also strongly believe that the best way to motivate children about making wise eating choices also provides a strong foundation in science and introduces them to stainable agriculture….”

Dru Cunningham, Bowling Green Christian Academy, OH – Thank you so much for this fantastic program! The information and material fit in so well with the science curriculum I’m teaching. The DVD with the Farmer was fun and the children really like the sense of humor and manner in which each activity was presented. It was an empowering experience for them to get to participate in the activities and to realize that they can grow food, even at their age; and that there is no great mystery to it. They were so interested in the unusual vegetables that were sent and actually wanted to try them! Some even wanted leftovers!! The worm farm was a real hit too. In my opinion, this is true education, because it is not only informative, but has practical application that the children can use in their own lives.

Scott Woods, Golden Hills Elementary, Tehachapi, CA – Your program is an awesome hands-on way to learn about plants and how important the farming industry is to our United Sates. We spent over six weeks palnting and growing the plants and giving them tender loving care. The mystery veggies were yummy, too! We give you all TWO GREEN THUMBS UP … Veggie U Rocks!!!

Feedback from Mr. Woods’ students: “We wish it never ended!” “It was so fun planting the seeds in the soil and taking care of them.” “I learned how important vegetables were to my diet, and I started eating healthier.” “I loved planting the plants and seeing how big they grew.” “The worms! The Worms! The Worms! They were the coolest.”

Kris Perry Terra Community College stated, “We would benefit by introducing the Veggie U Earth to Table curriculum and to future education majors at Terra Community college and children in the Kids College program.”

Kayla Gough- Scholastic Kids Press Corps said, “In the struggle to reduce obesity in children, Veggie U is making a difference, one seed at a time.”

In Health and Hearth – a home school Handbook- Hummelstown, PA is quoted as saying about Veggie U… “This dynamic curriculum includes all of the materials needed to facilitate the hands-on lessons covering nutrition, agriculture, plant studies, and culinary arts.”

Lisa Abraham of the Akron Beacon Journal said, “The goal of Veggie U is to combat childhood obesity and at the same time cultivate good stewards of the Earth by teaching children about their food from the ground up…it’s an Earth science chapter that makes plant life come alive for children, while teaching them about healthy eating.”

Vinnie Rapponi Staff Writer Chicago Blog: “Veggie U, while educating children, knows that for lasting impact, parents must make healthy eating choices for the entire family…Let’s make a healthier choice Chicago…”

Janet Romaker of the Toledo Blade said of the Veggie U program, “During a recent growing-green lesson at Perrysburg‘s (OH) Woodland Elementary School, students were being careful not to squish the squash. Planting and tending to vegetables is just one of the many hand-on activities offered during Veggie U, a five-week science program designed to encourage students, as well as their families, to go green from earth to table!”