Growing Foods to Meet the Needs of the Community

With the junior high’s new structure this school year in their collaboratory classes, students have had the opportunity to receive hands-on experience and strengthen the skills necessary for success in the 21^st century. Throughout the year, students honed their critical thinking skills as they created solutions and communicated them to a specific audience.

All collaboratories pose a driving question that requires students to find answers to. The Hunger Expedition, in particular, is a collaboratory that has students researching how they can grow their own foods to meet the needs of the community. Their answer was to build a garden.

Over the course of the school year, students involved in the Hunger Expedition built eight garden beds, two benches, and a shed. They also planted multiple herbs, fruits, and vegetables. The garden is flourishing and it will continue to do so over the summer with the help of Cristwood senior residents.

“We have partnered with the Cristwood Park residents and are selling our produce in their farmer’s market from June – August,” said Ms. Adams, co-teacher of the collaboratory. “They will care for our garden during the summer months and also work with our students next year on WOW Wednesdays.”

In partnering with Cristwood residents, the class’ goal is to increase social connectivity, encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors, and fulfill the one mission philosophy at King’s. Cristwood residents are signing up to help tend to the garden while students are on summer vacation and in return, those who help will be able to take home some of the produce.

“It has been such a pleasure to watch our students exploring the real issues of food, health, and hunger while building our raised bed community garden,” said Mr. Kyler, co-teacher of the Hunger Expedition. “We have heard over and over from our students how they love the outward action of building this product to help solve a problem. This year’s students have laid a great foundation and we hope to have next year’s groups develop our hydroponics and aquaponics growing systems. The sky’s the limit!”

“Our work this year has brought me so much pride and job,” Ms. Adams remarked. “What a rewarding process for us all to witness the students design our community garden, then build the raised beds, shed, benches, and finally plant our first crop of vegetables and strawberries.”

The items grown in the garden will be sold at the Cristwood Summer Farmer’s Markets on certain Tuesdays in July and August!