On October 22nd– 24th, the California Teachers Association organized the California Science Education Conference, which was held at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Science teachers traveled from as far as San Diego and Los Angeles to participate in workshops and short courses, as well as network with colleagues and shop for education materials from various vendors.

While perusing the booths in the exhibit hall, teachers came by our booth to learn about and order our free, scientifically sound nutrition materials that support school wellness policies. During our three-day visit, we enjoyed meeting the large number of teachers that came by the booth. Many teachers that visited had already ordered materials, but stopped to chat about our Mobile Dairy Classroom assembly or simply just to let us know how much they enjoy implementing our nutrition programs in the classroom. Other teachers just yelled, “Great programs!” as they passed by the booth.

In addition to displaying our programs, the exhibit included a Sugar and Fat display, which made many Science teachers realize how much fat and sugar they consume on a day-to-day basis. We also brought our nutrition education wheel, which helps educate on the importance of a balanced diet and physical activity.  

On October 24th, Candice Sainz-Lau presented the workshop Making a Difference: Healthier Achievement Through Nutrition Education. At the workshop, teachers learned that students who make healthy eating choices perform better in the classroom. Science teachers also learned that Dairy Council of California supports academic achievement by providing materials that are aligned to education standards and school wellness policies. They also had the opportunity to view the new e-teacher training module that demonstrates success strategies for implementing nutrition education in the classroom. As a result, teachers expressed confidence with teaching the materials in the classroom.