Here’s another video I did for the Food and Nutrition Service to explain the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to the wider world. The goal was to get school’s excited about this new program that gives money to selected elementary schools to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for their students’ consumption. Schools can provide fresh fruits and vegetables to their students as a snack, but it cannot be a part of breakfast or lunch. The greatest part of the program is that it allows schools to experiment with different fruits and vegetables like jicama, asparagus, pomegranate, blackberries, sugar snap peas, and other things that students may never get the chance to try. Schools are also encouraged to teach their students about nutrition and healthy eating by using the fruits and vegetables as examples and teaching tools as you can see in the video.
The most difficult part of the video was the opening animation with all the fruit and vegetables. It took several hours to choreograph and execute properly. Those dastardly fruits and vegetables just would not listen to my directions.
The best part of making the video was visiting the two schools: Arcola Elementary in Silver Spring, MD and Potomac View Elementary in Woodbridge, VA. Kids these days are so bright and hilarious. Well, maybe kids have always been that way. I guess I just have not been around groups of children in a long time, which is a shame. After working in a cubicle for 2 years and then being reintroduced into a lively atmosphere full of kids, I realized how unnatural and creatively arresting cubicle life really is. Needless to say, I truly enjoyed making this video because it was a break from the routine.
Right now, I’m thinking of the song by Queen – “I Want to Break Free.”
