Aw, shucks!

COEUR d'ALENE — Teaching the art of sweet corn shucking to third-graders at Winton Elementary School on Wednesday, Ed Ducar said the key is thinking like a farmer.

"I wish I was a farmer," said Elijah Hunter, an 8-year-old student.

"We want to do this more," the rest of the group added enthusiastically.

Ducar, the director of nutrition services at the Coeur d'Alene School District, has teamed up with the University of Idaho Extension's Eat Smart Idaho program to provide hands-on lessons in nutrition and food each month. This week Ducar, along with his staff and volunteers from Eat Smart Idaho, visited all 10 elementary schools in the district and brought enough sweet corn for everyone.

"It makes a big impact," Ducar said of the educational programming. "It's hard to believe that, even in Coeur d'Alene, some kids don't know where corn comes from."

Although Ducar did encounter students who didn't know where the sweet corn came from, that wasn't the case with Amada Briggs' third-grade students. As soon as they were presented with the corn on their stalks, the students eagerly began working with Ducar to get it shucked and ready to eat.

"They were very excited go down to the cafeteria and shuck corn," Briggs told The Press.

The third-grade teacher added that having her students learn firsthand about the farm-to-plate process fits a community emphasis that's part of their curriculum. One of her students, Hayden Castle, proudly told Ducar that he was already a professional when it came to shucking corn, before grabbing another piece to shuck.

"This is only my second time," Castle, 9, added. "The only corn I like is corn on the cob."

"Look at you, you're a farmer," Ducar told the students after they completed the activity. "You guys are smart; are you sure you're only in third grade? Now that you guys are experts on this, you can tell everyone about what you learned."

Continuing the discussion on health and nutrition is essential to the programming, Ducar added. As such, parents of elementary students were sent emails this week informing them of the activity and recommending fun followup questions they could ask when their kids get home.

He said it also brings the students right back to the school lunches his staff prepares each day. Ducar said that each of the district's schools have their own kitchens, and they pride themselves on offering a large selection of fresh fruits and vegetables for students to pick out each and every day.

"We began working with Ed last year; he does such a phenomenal job," said Shelly Johnson, a professor at University of Idaho Extension.

Johnson added that she was pleased when Ducar asked Eat Smart Idaho if it would partner with the district throughout the year for educational programming. For example, in November, Johnson said, several members of the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department will be in the elementary schools to give the kids examples of what proper fitness and nutrition look like, while also encouraging them to drink their milk.

"All I have been hearing from these students all week is how sweet the corn is," Johnson added with a smile as she watched the students dig in.