Seeds of Success: Empowering Latina STEM Girl Ambassadors Through Role Models, Leadership, and STEM-Related Experiences.

Gender stereotypes and lack of access to relatable role models, mentors, and STEM opportunities have been suggested to deter middle school girls and students from underrepresented backgrounds away from STEM. Seeds of Success, an out-of-school program, is designed to inspire girls to consider STEM careers by countering gender stereotypes through relatable role models, promoting STEM confidence through STEM workshops and hands-on activities, and encouraging alignment between cultural and STEM identities through community-based STEM projects that develop leadership skills. Since 2015, the program has impacted 453 students who in turn have reached more than 42,777 people in Puerto Rico through their STEM Ambassadors projects. A robust mix-method evaluation of the 2020 and 2021 cohorts demonstrates significant improvements in participants' STEM attitudes and science identity, as well as in their self-perception as a leader, confidence in their ability to succeed in science, knowledge about STEM careers and opportunities, and access to STEM role models. Moreover, 95% of participants intend to continue participating in STEM activities after the program and overall scores for the entire survey were significantly higher after the program than before. We discuss lessons learned for other programs seeking to empower girls from historically underserved backgrounds in STEM.

Attending (or not) after-school programs during the COVID-19 pandemic: What happens to children's social skills and behavior problems?

The demand for After-School Programs (ASP) has increased in the last decades, mainly related to the reduced availability of the family to take care of children in the after-school period. This study aimed to compare two groups of children who attend (ASP group) or not ASP (comparison group), from the first and second grade, regarding their social skills and behavior problems. Teachers assessed 120 children (half by group) across three times (one before and two during the COVID-19 pandemic). A pattern of ASP attendance was determined, in order to understand whether ASP attendance influences social skills and behavior problems. The results indicated that children who attended ASP showed higher levels of self-control and assertion skills. Higher levels of hyperactivity were reported by teachers for both groups when children came back to school after the first COVID-19 lockdown. Parents enrolled their children in ASP mostly for safety; and ASP attendance had a positive effect on social skills and negative on behavior problems. The implications of attending ASP associated to a more positive child development are discussed.

Opportunities in Health Education in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Transforming Viral to Vital.

Although the current pandemic is associated with many difficulties and social challenges, in parallel, it has been linked with new opportunities. The field of education and, in particular, health education, represent a highlighted example. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statistics, the education of more than 1.5 billion students in 188 countries around the globe was affected due to the closure of educational institutions following the coronavirus outbreak. In the present study, we examine the development of possibilities, prospects, and opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era in the field of health education. Using reflective observations on what we have gained as knowledge during this pandemic, we summarize five VITAL aspects of health education: the emerging value in health; the power of preventive interventions in health education; the transmission of health messages by students in the context of communication between school, family, and community; the exploitation of contemporary e-learning applications as a mixed hybrid learning mode; and the life examples as projected from the theoretical principles of health education to real scenarios. In conclusion, the global pandemic crisis, serving as a "violent teacher," presents us with hidden potential, promising new prospects in the field of health education that we need to exploit.

A longitudinal cohort study of participation in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg.

Introduction: Out-of-school or after-school programs are designed to support healthy behaviours, boost academic achievement and strengthen social skills. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (BGCW) in Manitoba, Canada, have been offering out-of-school programs to children and adolescents in low-income neighbourhoods for more than 40 years. Many BGCW participants face considerable risk of poor health, social and educational outcomes due to challenges they experience at home, in school and in their communities. Objective: We examined whether BGCW participation among children and adolescents aged 5-18 is associated with improved school outcomes and lower risk of justice system encounters and adverse health outcomes. Methods: We linked de-identified data on BGCW participation for children and adolescents born 1987-2010 to administrative data from the healthcare system, education system, and social services in the Population Research Data Repository, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. The exposure group (n = 8,990) included children and adolescents who visited BGCW at least once from 2005-2016. The comparison group (n = 69,980) comprised children and adolescents matched on school year and neighbourhood who had never participated in BGCW. Results: Participation in BGCW was significantly associated with better scores in grade 3 numeracy and grade 7 student engagement assessments. The risk of justice system encounters among adolescents (aged 12-17) dropped as the frequency of BGCW participation increased, as did justice system encounters among young adults (aged 18-24) who had participated in BGCW as adolescents. The likelihood of teen pregnancy among female adolescents (aged 13-19) and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents (aged 13-19) also declined as the frequency of participation in BGCW increased. Conclusions: The findings suggest that participation in BGCW is associated with positive outcomes for children and adolescents in multiple domains and despite socioeconomic and family challenges faced by many in this population.

An overview of the Connect through PLAY trial to increase physical activity in underserved adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The Connect through Positive Leisure Activities for Youth (Connect through PLAY) trial is a prospective, randomized controlled trial implemented within pre-existing afterschool programs (ASPs) comparing a staff-based social development physical activity (PA) program to a health curriculum active control. The efficacy trial aims to improve staff capacity for implementing effective physical activity (PA) programming within ASPs serving underserved youth (minority, low-income) through enhancing the influence of ASP staff as key change agents and addressing the social development needs of adolescents. DESIGN AND SETTING: The 5-year cluster randomized trial will involve 30 ASPs that are randomized to either the Connect through PLAY intervention or the active health curriculum control. INTERVENTION: The Connect through PLAY intervention employs a novel theoretical framework that targets three key social mechanisms for increased and sustained PA of staff and youth including youth-peer connections/friendships, group belonging, and staff-youth connections. All components of the intervention are designed to improve staff capacity for facilitating a PA context that supports these social mechanisms and increases the influence of ASP staff as positive PA role models and agents of change. Compared to control sites, ASPs receiving Connect through PLAY are expected to show greater improvements from baseline to post- and 6-month follow-up on youth PA, staff PA, and social mechanisms. IMPLICATIONS: The results of the Connect through PLAY trial will demonstrate the efficacy of the intervention and will assist in developing a model of training, motivating, and empowering ASP staff to address social mechanisms that promote youth PA.

Comparación del desempeño técnico-asistencial en programas escolares con diferentes modalidades de implementación / Comparison of technical-assisstance performance in school programs with different implementation modalities

Se comparó el desempeño técnico-asistencial de 2 programas de atención odontológica con iguales protocolos de atención y diferente modalidad de implementación. Ambos programas se caracterizaron por un perfil preventivo-promocional; uso de protocolos validados según riesgo biológico, atención odontológica adaptada a sedes no convencionales, recursos asignados por método de necesidades; ejecución por recurso humano pre-profesional supervisado y modulación por altas. La modalidad de implementación difirió en la densidad/concentración de las actividades realizadas: en el Programa Extensivo (PE) las acciones se implementaron con frecuencia semanal; en el Programa Intensivo (PI) las acciones se concentraron en una semana en el año. Cobertura anual: PE = 120 escolares de 6 a 9 años de edad; PI = 180 escolares y preescolares de 3 a 12 años de edad. Se midió la cantidad de prestaciones, sesiones y tiempo -en minutos- hasta alcanzar el Alta Básica Operativa (ABO). Para comparar grupos (PI y PE) se utilizaron los tests: U de Mann Whitney, t de Student para mues-tras independientes, chi cuadrado y comparación de proporciones. La razón de prestaciones/sesión fue significativamente mayor (p=0,000) en el programa intensivo. El número de prestaciones hasta el alta (ABO) y la razón tiempo/sesión no mostraron diferencias entre programas (p=0,8 p=0,087), mientras que se evidenció una mayor razón tiempo/prestación y tiempo en alcanzar el alta (ABO) en la modalidad extensiva (p=0,000). La modalidad intensiva mostró mayor eficiencia en el desempeño técnico asistencial que la extensiva (AU)

Aim: To compare technical-care performance of 2 dental care programs with the same care protocols and different implementation modalities. Both programs shared the following features: preventive-promotional profile; use of validated clinical protocols according to biological risk, dental care adapted to non-conventional settings, allocation of resources by needs method; supervised pre-professional human resource and modulation by discharges. The implementation mode differed in the density/concentration of the activities: in the extensive program (EP) the actions were implemented on a weekly basis along the year; in the intensive program (IP) the actions were concentrated in one week in the year. Annual coverage of the programs: 180 schoolchildren and preschoolers (3 -12 years old); EP = 120 schoolchildren (6 - 9 years old). We measured the following variables: the number of dental services performed, the number of sessions and the time, in minutes, to reach the basic operating discharge (BOD). We used the following tests to compare groups (IP and EP): Mann Whitney U; Student's t for independent samples, chi square and comparison of proportions test. The action per session ratio was significantly higher (p=0.000) in the intensive program. The number of actions performed until discharge (BOD) and the time per session ratio did not show differences between programs (p=0.8 p=0.087). In the extensive mode, compared to intensive mode, it took longer to reach discharge (BOD) (p=0.000) The program implemented with intensive modality (PI) showed greater efficiency regarding technical-care performance when compared to the extensive mode (AU)

How Youth of Color Create Communities of Hope: Connecting Advocacy, Activity, and Neighborhood Change.

The primary aim of this paper was to assess the association of after-school club characteristics with changes in physical activity, nutrition, and attitudes in students of color after participating in the "YEAH!" Advocacy-based Physical Activity Program. We examine the strengths of school-based vs. non-school based programs in promoting feelings of self-efficacy and empowerment among students learning to become more physically active-and importantly, also test the strength of how programs that are more connected (to community-based partners) may contribute to students' optimism around policy and public health as it directly affects them. This study examined differences in the youth advocacy training impact across four after-school club types: school-based with community partnerships, school-based without partnerships, non-school-based with community partners, and non-school-based clubs without partnerships. We measured improvements in youth's "optimism for change", "assertiveness" and "decision-making" as related to after school activities and found that non-school-based programs with community partners showed highest positive impact.

First Graders' Stationary Behavior in Norwegian After-School Programs: A Mixed Methods Investigation.

After-school programs (ASPs) might influence the activities and behaviors of children. The aim of the reported study was to investigate how stationary behavior unfolds during ASP time in a sample of Norwegian first graders. A total of 42 first graders from 14 ASPs were observed during one entire ASP day. ActiGraph accelerometers were used to measure the intensity of their physical activity (PA). Children were found to be involved in stationary behavior for 54.9% of the studied ASP time-a median of 79.5 min (IQR = 62.0). However, there was considerable variation among the children in the sample. Most stationary behavior-63.5% of all stationary behavior during ASP time-was accumulated when the children were sitting indoors. The proportion of stationary behavior was significantly higher indoors than outdoors, during adult-managed time than child-managed time, and during time spent together with other children than time spent alone (p < 0.05). In child-managed physical activity play outdoors, stationary behavior commonly occurred during short periods of standing still. Stationary behavior was usually rapidly broken up by longer periods of PA. Stationary periods involved activities in close relationship with other children and appeared to be important for social interaction and friendship building. The researchers suggest that ASP staff members should actively promote physical activity play that breaks up sedentary time and replaces some stationary behaviors with PA, especially among the least active children.

How to bargain successfully with adolescents: What can be learned from youth development professionals.

This study examines risks and potential benefits that youth professionals experience in bargaining with adolescents. We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 50 experienced adult leaders of 27 high-quality arts, technology, and leadership youth programs (serving ethnically-diverse teens). Half worked with younger teens (ages 11-14), half with older (ages 14-18). Leaders reported bargaining in ways responsive to youth's wants and needs, reaching win-win agreements. Leaders of younger youth experienced more risks in bargaining, so took greater control over what was bargained. They used bargains most often to motivate when youth's enthusiasm dropped, and these bargains sometimes helped youth develop self-motivation. Leaders of older youth reported fewer risks and more benefits. They bargained as equals, asking youth to share decision-making responsibility. They used bargaining as a pedagogical tool to model, support, and challenge youth, which helped build their capacities for deliberative decision-making. The findings illuminate strategies for practitioners to use bargaining effectively.

The Effectiveness of a Teen Outreach Pregnancy Prevention Program: Results From Youth After-School Clubs.

BACKGROUND: Teen pregnancy continues to burden families, communities, and society. Programs continue to educate and impower youth and young adults to make positive behavioral decisions. METHODS: We evaluated a program aimed at high-risk youth in after-school programs. The goal of the program was to instill a sense of community and empathy, as well as sexual health decision-making. The evaluation was a multiyear evaluation from external evaluators. RESULTS: There were statistically significant changes in empathy toward others in the community and a feeling of safety at school. Other positive changes noted were that students felt empowered to use condoms, other barriers, or birth control in the future when having sexual relations. The program noted a positive direction in students feeling they develop plans or goals and stick to them. CONCLUSIONS: These programs serve to instill a sense of empowerment, community, and responsibility in students. Evaluation data can serve as a metric of the merit of these programs and the impact on school health programs and communities.

Benchmarking public health pain management practices during school immunizations.

BACKGROUND: Pain and fear during immunizations can affect children and their future behaviour toward immunization. These negative experiences can be amplified when children receive vaccines as part of school-based immunization programs, where parental or tutor supports are missing. In 2015, HELPinKIDS&ADULTS, a Canadian network of experts, published a clinical practice guideline (CPG) on the management of pain and fear during immunization. This guideline has been endorsed by international, national and provincial organizations. However, the level of integration and implementation of the CPG into local and community immunization programs such as school-based immunization clinics is unclear. METHODS: An investigation whether public health units in Ontario integrated and implemented the pain and fear interventions recommended by the CPG into school-based immunization policies and practices was concluded. RESULTS: The study shows that the majority of public health units do have pain and fear policies and procedures in place, but interventions are not integrated in a consistent and formal manner, leading to suboptimal uptake of interventions during immunizations at school. CONCLUSION: For pain interventions to be applied with sufficient fidelity and in enough individuals to have a meaningful effect, organizational leaders need to create directives and procedures that support implementation in a systematic and accountable manner.

Adolescent Girls' Nutritional Status and Knowledge, Beliefs, Practices, and Access to Services: An Assessment to Guide Intervention Design in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Despite growing recognition of the importance of the adolescent period for health and nutritional well-being, scant evidence exists to inform interventions. Beyond limited understanding of adolescents' knowledge and practices, gaps in adolescent research also include limited understanding of how best to reach them with programs and policies and how the contexts in which they live present barriers and opportunities. Given that most studies on adolescent health and nutrition have used data from surveys of women of reproductive age, this study also sought to understand variation among younger and older adolescents and those who were already mothers. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to support the design of an evidence-based adolescent program (Suaahara) in Nepal by describing adolescent girls' nutritional status; their exposure to information and services, knowledge, and practices in nutrition, health, family planning, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and contextual factors; and to quantify variation by stage of adolescence. METHODS: Using the first round (2017) from a panel of Nepalese adolescent girls, we categorized adolescent girls as: younger (10-14.9 y; n = 512), older (15-19.9 y; n = 325), and mothers (15-19.9 y; n = 256). Descriptive analyses generated proportions and means ± SDs, with statistical significance testing of differences. RESULTS: The prevalence of underweight was highest in younger adolescents, whereas the prevalence of overweight/obesity in mothers was double that of the other 2 groups. More younger adolescents were in school, but fewer owned a mobile phone or had radio access. Exposure, knowledge, and behaviors across thematic areas also differed by stage of adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for Suaahara and other programs and policies aiming to support the health and nutritional well-being of adolescent girls. Heterogeneity among adolescent girls should be considered when identifying which interventions are needed and have the most potential for each subpopulation.

Changes in Lifestyle Habits among Adolescent Girls after FitSpirit Participation.

Adolescence is a crucial time in the development and maintenance of lifestyle habits. Interventions to improve health-related behaviors are important, including those that can contribute to an increase in physical activity (PA). During adolescence, PA typically decreases with age, particularly in girls. The FitSpirit program offers services that help Canadian schools from Quebec and Ontario implement PA interventions for adolescent girls. This study aimed to evaluate changes in participants' PA levels and lifestyle habits (sedentary time, sleep duration and eating habits) and to assess whether these changes depended on adherence to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Canada's Food Guide recommendations at enrollment. At the time of FitSpirit registration (between December 2018 and March 2019) and in May/June 2019, 73 participants answered online questionnaires. The participants reported improvements, with an increase in the number of days with PA and a decrease in daily consumption of sweets. The greatest changes were observed in those who did not adhere to the Canadian recommendations before enrollment and who significantly increased their number of days with PA and their consumption of fruits and vegetables, and decreased their screen time. In conclusion, participation in FitSpirit improved several health behaviors among adolescent girls, particularly those who did not comply with the Canadian recommendations at enrollment.

Active play in ASP -a matched-pair cluster-randomized trial investigating the effectiveness of an intervention in after-school programs for supporting children's physical activity.

BACKGROUND: Interventions directed at after school programs (ASPs) have the potential to support physical activity (PA) in young children. Research has indicated that interventions that emphasize competence building among the ASP staff can lead to increased PA among the children. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of the Active Play in ASP intervention-a program for ASP staff aimed at supporting physical activity among first graders in ASP. METHODS: We used a matched-pair cluster randomized design and included 456 first graders from 14 schools in Norway. From these, 7 ASPs received the intervention (N = 229), while 7 acted as controls (N = 227). Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately post intervention (7 month follow-up) and after a year (19 month follow-up). The primary outcome was moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which was estimated with predefined cut points of counts per minute (CPM) and expressed as minutes/hour. Secondary outcomes were vigorous and light intensity physical activity (VPA and LPA) and sedentary behavior. The analyses of intervention effects were based on between-group differences in outcome changes between the 3 measurement points and were conducted using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures using categorical time. In exploratory analyses, we investigated gender, baseline body mass index, and baseline CPM as potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: No significant intervention effects was observed on MVPA (0.55 min/hour [99% CI -0.55:1.64]) or on the secondary outcomes, min/hour of LPA, VPA or sedentary behavior. Exploratory analyses indicated that among the 50% least physically active children at baseline, children in intervention ASPs reduced sedentary time from baseline to 19 months follow up by 1.67 min/hour (95% CI -3.12:-0.21) compared to the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Although the intervention did not significantly increase the mean MVPA among the children in the intervention ASPs compared to controls, it did seem to have a small effect by reducing sedentary behavior time among the least active children. An even stronger emphasis on how to identify less active children and support their activity may be needed in order to increase their PA and further reduce sedentary behavior time. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials; NCT02954614, Registered 3 November 2016, -Retrospectively registered, first participant enrolled August 2016.

Minimizing Health-Compromising Behaviors via School-Based Programs: An Optimization Approach.

School health programs are united by their desire to promote health and health-related outcomes among youth. They are also united by the fact that their expected effects are contingent on successful program implementation, which is often impeded by a multitude of real-world barriers. Techniques used in management science may help optimize school-based programs by accounting for implementation barriers. In this exploratory study, we present a detailed example of the first known application of linear programming (LP), which is an optimization technique, to Positive Action (PA). PA is a social emotional and character development program that includes a six-unit, teacher-delivered, classroom curriculum. We specify how we used LP to calculate the optimal levels of program implementation needed to minimize substance use, subject to known levels of implementation barriers (e.g., disruptive behavior, teacher education, teacher attitudes towards character development, school resources, and school safety). We found that LP is a technique that can be applied to data from a school health program. Specifically, we were able to develop a model that calculated the number of lessons that should be taught to minimize a specific health-compromising behavior, given expected levels of predetermined implementation barriers. Our findings from this exploratory study support the utility of applying LP during the program planning and implementation processes of school health programs.

Leveraging School Nurse Expertise to Meet Children's Health and Nutrition Needs in Afterschool Programs.

The National Association of School Nurses' position statement clarifies the role of school nurses in afterschool activities is to assess, plan, and evaluate the health needs of students in programs that extend beyond the regular school day. School nurses leverage their expertise as trusted and caring providers to deliver health promotion education in the school setting. They can partner with afterschool programs to assess students' healthy eating and physical activity. The purpose of this article is to describe an exemplar assessment of Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in one afterschool program and discuss approaches to address preventable factors associated with childhood obesity.

Satisfação de vida, clima familiar e participação de crianças em atividades extracurriculares / Life satisfaction, family climate, and involvement of children in extracurricular activities / Satisfacción de vida, clima familiar y participación de niños en actividades extracurriculares

Trata-se de um estudo que investigou as relações entre as atividades extracurriculares, vinculadas ou não a programas de tempo integral, a satisfação de vida e o clima familiar de estudantes. Participaram da investigação 97 discentes de uma escola pública. Os participantes responderam ao Inventário do Clima Familiar para Crianças (ICF-C), a Escala Multidimensional de Satisfação de Vida para Crianças (EMSVC) e a uma Escala de Envolvimento em Atividades Extracurriculares (EEAE). Os resultados indicaram que os meninos se envolvem mais em atividades livres, enquanto as meninas realizam mais atividades acadêmicas/responsáveis e se vinculam mais com a escola. As ações ligadas ao programa de tempo integral garantem o direito à proteção social, bem como o acesso a atividades artísticas e recreativas, o que destaca a relevância do Estado investir em políticas públicas para a infância.

It is a study that investigated relationships between extracurricular activities, whether or not linked to full-time programs, life satisfaction and the family climate of the students. Ninety-seven students from a public school participated in the study. Participants responded to the Family Climate Inventory for Children (ICF-C), the Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale for Children (EMSVC), and a Scale for Involvement in Extracurricular Activities (EEAE). The results indicated that boys engage more in free activities, while girls perform more academic/responsible activities and become more involved with school. The actions linked to the full-time program guarantee the right to social protection, as well as access to artistic and recreational activities, which highlights the importance of the State investing in public policies for children.

Se trata de un estudio que investigó relaciones entre las actividades extracurriculares, vinculadas o no a programas de tiempo completo, la satisfacción de vida y el clima familiar de los estudiantes. Participaron en la investigación 97 alumnos de una escuela pública. Los participantes respondieron al Inventario del Clima Familiar para Niños (ICF-C), la Escala Multidimensional de Satisfacción de Vida para Niños (EMSVC) y una escala de Participación en Actividades Extra-curriculares (EEAE). Los resultados indicaron que los niños se involucran más en actividades libres, mientras que las niñas realizan más actividades académi-cas/responsables y se vinculan más con la escuela. Las acciones vinculadas al programa de tiempo completo garantizan el derecho a la protección social, así como el acceso a actividades artísticas y recreativas, lo que destaca la relevancia del Estado de invertir en políticas públicas para la infancia.

Understanding the impact of an after-school music program with engaged underserved youth.

AIMS: This study aims to document and understand the benefits of underserved youths' successful involvement in an after-school music program (ASMP). METHODS: The contents of semi-structured, individual interviews with 11 alumni and five staff members of an ASMP were coded and analyzed using inductive Thematic Analysis. RESULTS: Alumni identified several positive program characteristics as most influential (e.g., consistency, opportunity, exposure), and described the program's favorable impact at a personal (e.g., identity development), relational (e.g., improving social skills), and musical level (e.g., acquiring performance skills). Staff members identified similar program characteristics as crucial for the success of the program and singled out their personal, relational, and social motivations as important dimensions that bring about the program's impact. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the value of musical experiences and after-school resources for a group of underserved youth who would otherwise not be exposed to them due to socioeconomic barriers and inequities in opportunities.

Workforce Support for Urban After-School Programs: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.

Organized after-school programs can mitigate risk and build resilience for youth in urban communities. Benefits rely on high-quality developmental experiences characterized by a supportive environment, structured youth-adult interactions, and opportunities for reflective engagement. Programs in historically disenfranchised communities are underfunded; staff are transient, underpaid, and undertrained; and youth exhibit significant mental health problems which staff are variably equipped to address. Historically, after-school research has focused on behavior management and social-emotional learning, relying on traditional evidence-based interventions designed for and tested in schools. However, after-school workforce and resource limitations interfere with adoption of empirically supported strategies and youth health promotion. We have engaged in practice-based research with urban after-school programs in economically vulnerable communities for nearly two decades, toward building a resource-efficient, empirically informed multitiered model of workforce support. In this paper, we offer first-person accounts of four academic-community partnerships to illustrate common challenges, variability across programs, and recommendations that prioritize core skills underlying risk and resilience, align with individual program goals, and leverage without overextending natural routines and resources. Reframing obstacles as opportunities has revealed the application of mental health kernels to the after-school program workforce support and inspired lessons regarding sustainability of partnerships and practice.

Nutrition Intervention to Hispanic Groups: Pilot Studies with Children and Caregivers.

Childhood obesity is a pressing public health issue, especially in the Hispanic community. Two pilot studies were performed; Study 1 was performed to assess the effect of a nutrition education intervention on the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Hispanic children in an after-school program. Nutrition educational lessons were administered 1 h per week. Evaluation was conducted as a baseline Pre-test, a Post-test (following the last session) and a 4-month follow-up. Children showed a significant decrease in the consumption of less-healthy foods from the time of the Pre-test to the Post-test measure (P < .05) and could identify healthy foods. Study 2 was performed to assess the effect of a nutrition education intervention on Hispanic children's caregivers' willingness to engage in healthy behaviors. Caregivers increased their willingness to engage in healthy behaviors (P < .05). This indicates that knowledge and attitudes about foods can be altered, and that caregiver education is needed so to ensure that healthy foods are available in a child's diet and to reinforce positive attitudes about foods.