by Annie Lassiter Hi! I’m Annie and I recently started interning with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. I’m a senior in Applied Nutrition at North Carolina State University. I originally began at NCSU with a major in Human Biology. However, after an Introduction to Human Nutrition, I fell in love with the subject and switched majors. My focus is really on childhood nutrition. It is incredibly rewarding to have kids taste a healthy food or drink for the first time and tell you that they like it. Working in the community is critical for forming healthy, lifelong habits. By exposing kids to basic nutrition concepts and healthy eating practices, we can help them have a healthier lifestyle throughout their whole life.
I play clarinet in the NCSU marching band, so if you ever go to a football game, look for me on the field at half time. I’ll be the one in red! I also play in my church orchestra every Sunday, which I feel is a wonderful way to give my time and talents. In the past, I have volunteered with Cooking Matters for Teens, which taught me a lot about working with kids. Last summer I got the opportunity to teach Food Chemistry at the All Arts, Sciences, and Technology camp, through UNCG. I taught elementary and middle school students how to make simple recipes like cookies, soup, and ice cream. I had a blast getting to work with the students in the classroom setting as well as during the every day camp activities. I also worked with Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) last summer, conducting focus groups with low-income mothers and their use of social media. This was definitely a new experience in assisting with research, working with adults, and helping with the writing process.
In my time with the Food Shuttle, I will be teaching a Cooking Matters for Kids course; I am really excited to get more teaching experience and I absolutely love children. I have always had a passion for nutrition, so teaching nutrition to kids is just wonderful!