NEWS
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. – A group of Oklahoma City children recently donned floppy chef hats and aprons for the five-day C.H.A.M.P. Camp at the University of Oklahoma College of Allied Health in Oklahoma City, where they gained comprehensive knowledge of nutrition.
C.H.A.M.P., which stands for Children’s Healthy Activity & Meal Planning, is a summer camp for 10- to 12-year-olds to learn about nutrition, gain culinary skills, cook healthy dishes and increase their physical activity.
“I have learned that eating healthy is doable,” said Greyson Holt, age 12. “I wouldn’t have to change a lot of things to make a healthy meal, like switching from white bread to whole wheat bread or from a sugary soda to something more natural.”
Graduate-level dietetics students from the OU College of Allied Health organize and run the camp under the direction of faculty members. The camp serves as the culminating academic experience at the end of an eight-week semester. Dietetics students plan nutrition and culinary lessons, snacks and lunches, as well as games and physical activities. The camp helps them put into practice everything they’ve learned in the classroom.
Teaching 10- to 12-year-olds is an ideal time to instill nutrition knowledge and provide hands-on cooking experience, said Younes Rebbaj, C.H.A.M.P. Camp director and a clinical assistant professor in the OU College of Allied Health, Department of Nutritional Sciences.
“In a world where we think cooking is difficult, and it’s easy to get take-out food, it’s important to start nutrition knowledge early,” Rebbaj said. “Everything we teach has to be relatable and engaging for them. These kids are very smart, and they show up excited and eager to learn every day.”
Allied Health dietetics student Frankie Sperry said the campers learned basic culinary skills like cutting vegetables, and they cooked everything from a stir fry to quesadillas to a fruit pizza. On the final day of the camp, they prepared a full buffet-style meal for their parents and caregivers.
“We also teach them the five basic food groups and how to read recipes and food labels,” she said. “And they’ve had an opportunity to explore foods that they might not have tried at home or school. Maybe they will incorporate that into their own lunches that they take to school. The overall goal is to educate the kids and give them tools to use in an outside setting. They have brought so much energy that it creates a positive association with food.”
Ten-year-old Aiden Columbus perhaps said it best: “I’ve learned that I like celery.”
About the project
For more information about C.H.A.M.P. Camp, visit link.ou.edu/champcamp.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university with campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. In Oklahoma City, OU Health Sciences is one of the nation’s few academic health centers with seven health profession colleges located on the same campus. OU Health Sciences serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs spanning Oklahoma City and Tulsa and is the leading research institution in Oklahoma. For more information about OU Health Sciences, visit www.ouhsc.edu.
The University of Oklahoma has received a transformative gift from Jon and Shannon McCartney, which will name the McCartney Family Tunnel of Champions, the McCartney Family Gate of the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and the McCartney Family Grand Lecture Hall in the Michael F. Price College of Business. The gift will also support the Inspiring Champions and the Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund, in addition to establishing the McCartney DFW Career Trek program at Price College.
The University of Oklahoma today celebrated the opening of a new air traffic control tower at the OU Max Westheimer Airport. Standing 106 feet tall, more than double the current 52-foot facility, the new tower will modernize air traffic control operations and improve safety for pilots and students operating in the airspace.
Do I buy groceries or pay the electric bill? Should I pawn some of my belongings to afford my prescription? My child is sick, so I will have to miss work to take care of him. Those are just a few of the difficult choices that OU-Tulsa health professional students confronted during the Community Access to Resources Experience. The role-playing activity challenged students to navigate the financial, family and other pressures that can affect a person’s health and ability to follow medical advice. Held annually during the SCM Institute orientation week, the experience is designed to generate understanding and build empathy.
