I'm on here again... Robert might worry he's created a monster. I just have to say I am sooo excited today.  I am a nutrition coach for an elementary school as part of a grant on of my professors is working with.  I don't get paid, I am strictly a student who volunteered to help.  I had grand dreams of transforming the children in the school to vegetable eating machines, who didn't just eat vegetables, but loved them.  After a year of working with it, and having many days of anger, frustration, fears, and tears, I have begun to feel that fulfilling feeling that can only come from success...even thought it is a small success.

I implemented a program I called the "Golden Apple" there that I based off of their "Golden Tennis Shoe" program already going at the school.  The idea is that the kids could gain points for doing food related activities or writing projects.  I had mentioned prizes at the beginning of the school year, but let's just say participation was very, very low.  It was low, that is until today.  About two weeks ago I had the PE teacher post a poster in the lobby next to my "Nutrition Corner" that showed pictures of the prizes and listed the leaderboard of those who had earned their small amount of points.  This week I went in to pick up any papers from my box and it had SO many pieces of papers with drawings of fruits or vegetables, recipes, and ABC's of fruits and vegetables.  I also have a place to do my parent classes that I have had in the works for months.  My first Tasty Table was even performed at the school last week and it feels SO good to have things actually going.  I feel like I'm doing what I was sent there to do.  I had abandoned my dream of starting a school garden there, but after 6 months of trying to push myself (and others) I realized it just wasn't the best time, but maybe the next nutrition coach can make it work.  Even though I let that go, now I feel like the other things being done are starting to succeed with more time to work on them.  

My biggest lesson learned: Even if you have a LOT of good ideas that can make a difference you really have to think about what is achievable with the people around you.  Also, sometimes a few really good and well executed projects are more easily achieved and successful than a lot of great ideas that you won't have time to do well or effectively.