International Fresh Fruit Program

Gini Ikwuezunma, MUSC College of Medicine/MSCR Nigerian student, teaches Dr. Johnson's second grade class at the Charleston Development Academy about the 'paw paw' or papaya. The joint International Fresh Fruit program features fruit indigenous to presenters' native country in order to promote healthy eating along with sharing culture, geography and language. The students were encouraged to interact throughout the presentation and then share some papaya together. Even the seeds are left with Dr. Johnson in hopes they can grow a tree by summer's end in the school garden. (As the children learned, papaya trees grow very fast.) The presentation ended with a special treat when Gini played African drums while the children joined in by thumping to the beat on their desks.