Heart health program has special meaning for intern

Published 9:18 am Saturday, April 2, 2016

By Dawn Burleigh

dawn.burleigh@orangeleader.com

Jasmine Morehead, 22, of Houston, is interning at Orange County Texas AgriLife Extension as she works towards her degree in Community Health.

As part of the internship, she was able to select a topic of interest and design a class to help bring further education and awareness to the subject. For Morehead, heart health was clearly the subject of choice.

“I have shadowed Fallon as well as help with some classes such as the canning class and the food handlers course,” Morehead said.

Fallon Foster is County Extension Agent – Family and Consumer Sciences at the Orange County Texas A&M AgriLlife Extension Service.

“I have enjoyed going out into the community,” Morehead said. “There is a big difference between Houston and Orange. You feel at home here. Everyone is welcoming and people genuinely care.”

Morehead has a special interest in heart health as a she has had open heart surgery to replace a valve and to correct a hole in her heart.

“In my case, it was not preventable,” Morehead said. “Keeping the heart healthy is a big deal and why I selected heart health.”

Morehead said the two-hour course will offer a free cooking demonstration as well as short workout which can be conducted at home without a personal trainer.

“The course also offers an educational component as well,” Fallon Foster said. “Jasmine came up with the idea, designed the flyer and was a step ahead in her own program.”

Morehead, upon graduation, will be a Health Educator.

“I really enjoy the extension aspect,” Morehead said. “I hope to continue in the Harris County, Houston area. I enjoy the one on one teaching.”

The free heart health program is 6 p.m – 8 p.m. Tues., April 5. at the AgriLife Office, 11475 FM 1442 in Orange.  Individuals will learn to spring into heart health with 3 easy steps: Prevention: Learn the simple tips to achieve heart health that you don’t know, Pumping: Get your heart pumping with a free workout instructed by a certified personal trainer, and Prepping: Free cooking demonstration snacking; tasty, healthy, and quick. Come ready to learn, get some exercise in and taste healthy snacks.

To register for the course call 409-882-7010.