Working on Wellness Environments
Working on Wellness Environments (WOW-E) is a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension multidisciplinary community development program

Farm to School

by

by Victorino Cantu, M. Garcia & A. Garza

Students pointing to the citrus they grew

The Farm to School Program Mission

The goal of the farm to school program is to bring local foods to the school cafeteria and agricultural education to K-12 students, encouraging children to make healthy food choices and inspiring sustainable connections to local food, while helping to boost the local economy.

Students planting a tree in their orchard

The Plan to Implement Farm to School Efforts in Starr County

Our planned intervention included the planting of a fruit orchard that is a continuation and enhancement of the existing school garden. This intervention was introduced while searching for options to replace missing local farms.

Students standing in the orchard holes for the trees to be planted in

Who Makes These Efforts Possible?

 The Farm to School efforts would not be possible without R.T. Barrera Elementary and its administration. The school has incorporated Farm to school efforts into their Physical Education curriculum. They have also recently started an Ag Club that helps monitor the orchard and ensure that the trees are doing well health-wise.

Plowing and digging the site of the orchard

Other Experiences the Students get from Farm to School

As a direct result, students also get to learn the practice of farming and preparing their own healthy meals/snacks.

Students learning healthy food preparation

The Rewards of the Farm to School Program

This intervention provides much needed access to healthy produce that is integral for the long-term health of the community and the students. Planting an orchard demonstrates a commitment to community nutrition for the next 20 years and beyond. This proposal provides an ongoing supply of fresh, seasonal fruit at a location and institution that is accessible to much of the local community.

Pictures provided by R.T. Barrera Elementary Principal, Mrs. M. Garcia and Physical Education Coach, Mr. A. Garza. (01/19/2023)

Increase Your Community Engagement Through a ‘Pop-Up’ Strategy

by

by Kelsey Coats & Emily Gunderson

We know community meetings might draw people in, but they also have inherent limitations. To increase your civic engagement response, you will want to go a step further to get input from different kinds of people.

Enter “pop-up” community engagement. Instead of requiring people to come to you, you should go to where people already gather and meet them when it’s convenient for your participants. Pop-up engagements typically reach underrepresented populations, offer more choices for those who stop by your table, and frequently solicit valuable engagement, input, and results.

What’s Wrong with Community Meetings? 

Nothing is wrong with town hall-style meetings, but they tend to be overly relied upon and lack efficacy in certain aspects. For example, community meetings are held one at a time and in a location that works for the organizers. This might or might not work for people’s schedules and could require time out of a busy day to attend. If you don’t offer childcare, attendees must either bring children with them, which is potentially disruptive, or figure out childcare on their own.

Community meetings also require sitting and listening, perhaps for 30 minutes or longer, and can be perceived as uninteresting. Finally, these meetings are limited in their variety of attendees; the same people tend to show up time and again. While their thoughts are important, we also want to hear from other people.

Participant giving input at Dollar General

A Best Practice for Community Engagement 

Pop-up community engagement solves many of these issues. They can reach more people because you go to people where they are at multiple times and places. This means reaching individuals that might not traditionally attend community meetings, for whatever reason. People can spend as much or as little time as they want talking to you and leaving comments – there’s less pressure overall. Even if individuals don’t overtly seem to engage, they can see you were there, trying to get input. It makes an impression and signage can relay web addresses for them to visit at a later time. Pop-up community engagement also offers you the chance to provide important resources and directly answer questions. You might be surprised by the directions your conversations may go.

City development community feedback

Where to Start with Pop-up Community Engagement

 

Now that you know why this style of engagement offers more efficacy than traditional community meetings, where to start? You want to know your why, who, where, what, and when. 

  • WHY? Why are you engaging people? This will drive your focus. 
  • WHO? Whom are you trying to talk to in the community? 
  • WHERE? Where do they go in the community?  
  • WHAT? What are they doing there and how could you fit in?  
  • WHEN? When do they go there? Make a list and visit each location, watching for patterns of attendance and flow.  

Take time to map out your pop-up locations, making sure they are equitably distributed throughout the community. If you plan on using the same posters/signage, have a plan for how you will know which comments came from where. One strategy is to use different color markers by location. Another is to take pictures between pop-up locations.

Be sure to have a sign at your pop-up saying that you’re doing citizen engagement and not trying to sell anything. This will go a long way toward increasing engagement.

Once you’ve had a few rounds of pop-up community locations, take time to analyze the results. Compare them to past meeting results and comments. How are they different? An effective engagement strategy should be a blend of styles that works best for you and your goals, helping meet the needs of the people you serve.

Community members providing feedback on how they would like to hear from the city.
Rio Grande City volunteers at the Country Store getting feedback from community members.
Individuals in the community providing insight on experiences that they would like in their city parks.
Community opinion table at HEB in Brenham, TX
Engagement pop-up at West University Place.

StoryWalk™

by

by Anna Stehling & Norma Fultz

A mother and son read a page of the book “Dragons Love Tacos” together at the Miriam Vale StoryWalk™ kick-off.
StoryWalk™ is a site activation activity which encourages children and families to walk together while they read a children’s book. As part of a StoryWalk™, a children’s book is taken apart, and the pages are each secured to a sign that is placed along a designated walking path in the community, oftentimes in a park. A StoryWalk™ is a great option for anyone that is interested in activating a space in their community to promote physical activity.
A group of ballet dancers and other community members visit a StoryWalk™ event at Miriam Vale Park.
A StoryWalk™ program can be created with simple, affordable materials, and it can provide an opportunity and an environment to develop healthy daily habits. According to the CDC Active People Healthy Nation initiative, regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of at least 20 chronic diseases and conditions.
The Rio Grande City StoryWalk™ committee meeting to finalize their strategic plan for future StoryWalk™ efforts.
The process of creating a StoryWalk™ program includes but is not limited to: establishing a goal, identifying potential partners, obtaining permission and support from affected groups, creating a site plan, choosing books and display types, ordering materials, preparing and assembling the materials, installing the displays, and planning the feedback process. 
StoryWalk™ project partners celebrate at the kick-off of the StoryWalk™ pilot-test at Miriam Vale Park.
A local family visits the StoryWalk™ together at Miriam Vale Park.
A spread of pages from the first book to be showcased in Rio Grande City’s StoryWalk™ pilot-test program at Miriam Vale Park.
A local family enjoys the StoryWalk™ pilot-test even at night!
A group of sisters racing to read the next page of the book at the StoryWalk™ pilot-test at Miriam Vale Park.
A group of Girl Scouts visit the StoryWalk™ pilot-test kick-off in Rio Grande City at Miriam Vale Park.
A group of girls reading a book featured in the StoryWalk™ pilot-test at Basilio Villarreal Park in Rio Grande City.
Siblings read a page of the “Dragons Love Tacos” book featured at the StoryWalk pilot-test kick-off event at Miriam Vale Park.

Pilot-testing Walkability from local Middle School to the Park

by

In collaboration with Rio Grande City Parks and Recreation and Working on Wellness Environments, RGCCISD Veterans Middle School Student Council worked to pilot-test walkability between their middle school and Miriam Vale Park. This area currently lacks some sidewalks, crosswalks, and walkways. Rio Grande City Parks and Recreation applied for a WOW-E Community Challenge to pilot-test the infrastructure. Pilot-testing occurred for one week. The Parks Department is currently Working with WOW-E Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to develop design concepts for more permanent changes.

“I know parents have been calling in regards to the sidewalks. Following this project, kids have already told me they feel safer.”

Frank Eguia
Rio Grande City Parks and Recreation Director

Rio Grande City Public Library StoryWalk (TM)

by

In partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Working on Wellness Environment’s team, the Rio Grande City Public Library held its first-ever StoryWalk(TM). The event was held at Miriam S. Vale Municipal Park in Rio Grande City, TX. StoryWalk(TM) combines literature and physical activity and places a children’s story along a walking path. The WOW-E team worked with local librarian Norma Fultz, the City of Rio Grande City, and community volunteers to bring the StoryWalk(TM) to life. To read more about StoryWalk(TM) click here.

If you would like more information on how you can start a StoryWalk(TM) in your community, reach out to a WOW-E team member.