Farm Based

IDEA Healthy Kids Here Program

At IDEA Public Schools, our goal is to get 100% of our students on the road to and through college. Our rigorous academics and “whatever it takes” mindset, have helped us make tremendous strides in this work. But we recognized that the roots of academic success for our students run far deeper than classroom learning alone. In order for our students to get to and through college, and beyond, they also need a foundation of skills necessary to maintain their health. So, in 2014 we launched our Healthy Kids Here Initiative to become the Healthiest School District in America.

Sarasota County Schools Farm to School

Sarasota County Schools Food and Nutrition Services established one of the first comprehensive Farm to School programs in the state of Florida in 2006. Our program follows the motto of "We Feed the Future" and provides food services and nutrition education to 42,000 students in 54 schools. In order to best feed our students and support our community, we prioritize purchasing from local farms and growing our school based gardens.

South Carolina Department of Agriculture Farm to School Program

The South Carolina Farm to School Program originated in 2011 as a two-year project funded from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Since the program began, it has expanded to not only include more funded schools, but also other institutions including preschools. In 2015, the umbrella organization South Carolina Farm to Institution was founded to encompass a wide variety of institutional sites beyond preschools and schools.

Chicago Public Schools, District 299 Farm to School Program

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Nutrition Support Services and the Office of Student Health and Wellness supports a Farm to School approach for nutrition education and school gardens. A Farm to School approach can awaken students' natural curiosity and provide experiential learning opportunities across the curriculum while emphasizing nutrition lessons and educating students on the food system.

Gardeneers

Gardeneers cultivates customized school garden programs to ensure that each space and the students and communities who care for it connect with healthy food and grow to their full potential.

Founded in 2014, Gardeneers provides garden education programming with students in 25 schools in Chicago. We focus on schools in low income, food desert communities where there is a lack of access to fresh, healthy food. 

Green Teacher Network

Green Teacher Network serves as a central resource in the Charlotte region to advance academics, health and enviornmental sustainability through schoolyard gardens.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Quarterly Workshops Held 2013-2014 academic school year :
August 20, 2013 – Introduction to Gardening – First Ward Elementary – 23 attended
November 1, 2013 – Gardening 101 – CPCC Harris Campus – 79 attended
February 18, 2014 (in the snow) – Gardening 201 – The Park Expo – 86 attended
May 3, 2014 – Gardening Skills Outside – Garinger High School Urban Farm – 49 attended

Blume Community Garden

In 1973 Mr. Richard Blume opened the doors of Blume Scrap Metal. For years, he dealt with battery acid, recycling and manufacturing. In 2015 the building will be knocked down to create an urban garden oasis for the community. The program teaches children valuable lessons as they learn to grow food in their own community. The garden will bring the community together and build sustainable programs for inner-city youth. The Blume Community Garden plans to start growing in summer 2015.

Children's Day School - Farm and Garden Program

At CDS we recognize that an intimate relationship with nature is critical for a child's full development. Our large, sunny schoolyard features an organic garden and farm, home to chickens and sheep that give children opportunities to experience first-hand the connections inherent to a healthy ecosystem, as well as to develop a sense of place and season. The CDS farm and garden program has three educational objectives for our students:

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