THE WINNER
The need for reliable education and awareness continues to rise with a wealth of conflicting information circulated regarding the nutritional value and health benefits of milk and dairy products. United Dairy Industry of Michigan is committed to developing and implementing programs to grow dairy education, consumption and sales, and engage their audiences with positive stories and accurate information regarding dairy foods, farms and farmers.

THE WORK
United Dairy Industry of Michigan partnered with Shift•ology’s Virtual Experiences team in 2022 for the development and execution of a three-part “Breakfast and a Book” LIVE virtual learning series, providing elementary students a unique opportunity to connect directly with farmers, professional athletes and children's book authors from the comfort of their classrooms. These events featured live book readings, conversations and Q&A with featured guests, along with a live look at a dairy farm. The series provided a positive experience for young students at a formative stage of their lives that fosters a culture of inclusiveness and caring for one another, while also providing a better understanding of the health benefits of milk and dairy products that encourages them to choose to make dairy an increasingly important part of their daily nutritional intake.

THE WINS
From January through March 2022, a total of 877 teachers representing 18,968 students from 26 states registered to experience the three-part Breakfast and a Book Virtual Learning series. In addition to being hosted directly through Zoom, each event was live streamed and recorded toYouTube and Facebook, which garnered an additional 336 views. The series has become an annual event that champions dairy nutrition.