The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recently awarded four Northwest Missouri State University students with Kids Eat Right grants to present health education programs to local teens and adults.

Dietetic students Regina Devenport, Melinda Kelsey, Krysta McGinnis and Alyssa Slater applied for the grants and received $200 each. They were among just 50 students, interns and registered dietitians throughout the nation to receive the grants.

“The four students that applied are excellent students. It took a lot of gumption to get going,” said Karen From, instructor of nutrition and dietetics at Northwest and director of the University’s Didactic Program in Dietetics.

To receive the grant, the students were required to plan and present two educational programs each. The programs were presented to teens or adults and followed the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ “Healthy Schools. It’s a Team Effort” program.

“The program is intended to educate the school and community about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity for academic success,” said Kelsey, who also is employed at Northwest as a graphic designer and became involved in the dietetics program last year. “I have a strong passion and interest in learning about dietetics.”

Northwest’s dietetics program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education and supplies its students with the knowledge necessary to support them in the dietetics profession. The program also encourages and arranges for students to gain work experience and identify with a variety of professional role models in the nutrition and food service profession. Northwest’s program also is experiencing major growth, having increases it enrollment from 25 student in 2009 to 75 this fall.

After successfully completing the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree and the Didactic Program in Dietetics, students apply for a dietetic internship. To be accepted into a dietetics internship, students should have a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average, more than 300 documented volunteer hours, foods and nutrition work experience, and excellent references.

“We encourage our students to get out in the community and on campus to acquire real-life dietetics experiences,” From said.

For more information about Northwest’s dietetic program, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/hhs/programs/dietetics.htm.