John Philip Sousa Middle School

Kid Power plans to implement its successful "VeggieTime" Program at Sousa. First, students will complete a comprehensive environmental science and health curriculum. Second, students will apply these lessons to school gardens which will serve as an outdoor classroom. Kid Power has just constructed one garden bed at the school and now plans to install two fruit trees, five edible garden beds and, one native species pollinator garden. Additionally, Kid Power will purchase a composter, rain barrel, and benches to create an outdoor classroom to provide youth with hands-on health and environmental science education. Additionally, the increased crop yield will contribute to a community CSA (combined with Kid Power gardens at a neighboring rec center) to serve the food desert community in Ward 7. Produce will also support quarterly family cooking nights and community wellness events. Finally, the program helps students develop community connections and improved civic behavior. Students will use the produce to improve the health of their communities through farmers market operations and health-related service-learning products.