Guest Chefs visit Burbank M.S.

Today guest chef-educators Megan and Rania came from NextCourse to do a lesson. We had a great day! As Megan led the lesson, I had fun getting to sit back and be part of the crowd, helping students to stay quiet and participate, but also getting to chat and joke with them while the group was eating and learning together. Getting to enjoy my connection with the students, rather than being the ringmaster directing traffic up on stage. Especially with students who have stayed for after school, I appreciated how familiar they are with me, trusting me. Today I could give them individualized roles, when individuals had trouble with the group assignment, and be thoughtful and careful because I wasn’t under the stress of having to manage the whole group of 30 alone. Having over 6 adults made the biggest difference.

Megan did a great lesson, focusing on the difference between whole foods and processed foods. She had examples of both for students to see, like potatoes and chips, real oats and cereal, milk and ice cream. Then she led an exercise that led students along the path an orange takes from a local farm to homemade juice, versus from an overseas farm to the processing plant to bottled orange juice in the store. The students did a great job of paying attention and participating.

First, Megan asked the group about the garden, about what they’ve been growing there and how they’ve been growing it. It was great to see how much the students had to say. They talked about how they have improved the soil with compost and wood chips, and by weeding and watering. They mentioned all kinds of critters we’ve seen (snails, gophers, worms) and foods we’ve tasted (mint, strawberries, potatoes).

Lastly, Megan and Rania led the students in squeezing orange juice and mixing up salsa from fresh ingredients. While the students helped making food, they told Rania about the foods they’ve made. Tyrell told her how he made the French fries at the garden party. Before we went outside he even asked me, “Are we going to cook in a wok?” Megan also remarked that they have learned so much, about the garden and the food in it, and that all the being, doing and connecting in the garden teach much more than words can get across.

It’s amazing to see the evidence in action. These are young people who, without thinking twice, buy chips and soda at the store every day. These same students are talking all about organic food, about cooking with woks, harvesting potatoes and mint, and getting exciting about it. This is clearly a shift in attitudes and beliefs, and in preferences. They are tasting and eating whole foods. They haven’t yet made the change in behavior overall, but they make smaller choices every day when they choose to eat from the garden and tell others about it. Megan said one of her students made his own choice to throw out his bag of Cheetos when he came to her class.

As teachers, we worry so much that the students are getting “enough” curriculum on every subject we want them to learn all about. But the most significant thing I ever learned in school was how to learn for myself: how to think, how to ask questions, and how to find out the answers myself. In the garden, students watch a plant grow and fruit, or watch a plant die as it gets dragged down a gopher hole or munched by snails. These things teach the students so much more than any curriculum, no matter how interactive.

school garden
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food systems

The Final Word: School Closed

The School Board has made their decision to close Luther Burbank Middle School, and along with two other closures, four schools will merge into two, and about seven more will be relocated. It may not be such bad news for Urban Sprouts, because the new school we'll get, Aim High Academy, looks promising. Of course we worry how the closures will affect sutdents. Will they be able to attend the merged or relocated schools, some much farther from home? Will they enroll in new schools and be happy there? All this remains to be seen.

Class Notes: Ida B. Wells H.S.

The first period class was reluctant today. Can’t really blame them since it was gray and drizzly. Second period was good—a core of students want to work in the garden so the momentum is good. It’s the first period group that complains endlessly. It started out gray but the sun unexpectedly came out, strong, warm and beautiful.

Nyra, Alex, Javone and Jose have been asking me about how they can grow plants at home in their own yards. So I’ve decided to focus on crop planning and research on plant needs. I put together a packet to guide students through the research. It includes a journaling guide for them to monitor their seed/plant over time. I think now that everyone has experience digging, planting, harvesting, it’s time to develop their own skills as gardeners, their continuity with the plants over time, and their own responsibility to the garden. I think they’re ready—maybe that’s what the complaining is starting to be about. Asking for influence.

So far, the students have really engaged with the research project, looking up plants in the Sunset book, seed catalogs and on the Internet. Learning scientific names, plant families, and crop origins. High expectations really pay off.

Another exciting opportunity—I was getting my delicious sandwich at Eric’s Alamo Square deli down the block and I was telling him about the garden. He got very interested, talking about his mom’s garden back in Jamaica Plain and how all the neighbors had gardens. He asked if we were selling anything, said he could use red-leaf lettuce, cukes, peppers, tomatoes, a whole bunch of veggies. He’ll buy them from us! So I went back to school and told students and teachers, and they got VERY excited! Several teachers advised me on how to start a field study project. Ms. Friel even has an entrepreneurship curriculum we can start with, to create a business plan and combine it with crop planning. Everyone’s talking about it.

It was great to have the teachers’ advice on how make the work the right level, the right amount, and the right balance between independent work and a group project. There’s SO much potential in this neighborhood to sell produce or even run a market cart near the park. This is going to be great.

entrepreneur
youth entrepreneurship

Class Notes: Luther Burbank M.S.

A good day. The Special Day Class took a long time to get ready, some students were not cooperating and others were pretty hyperactive. Finally, we discussed different nutrients and the foods they come from. They really engaged, talking about junk food and sugar and how they affect your energy, and make you tired, frustrated and cranky. Then, one student noticed a huge bird in the tree outside the window. It was the hawk from the park, but it was just sitting on a branch, totally still and very camouflaged. I was amazed that he spotted it. Then it took off into the air, was huge and beautiful, and the whole class stood up to watch it.

We went outside to the garden, had a hard time walking in the halls, but the time in the garden was great. The students did an EXCELLENT job weeding—they looked for all the oxalis (“sour grass”) and counted how many plants each one of them pulled. Ms. DeSnoo kept track of how many each person pulled and rewarded them accordingly. One student even noticed that you could count each plant by looking at the root, since each has one taproot, and count how many separate plants he pulled. That was great. They got a lot done!

Later, with Perez’s class, I worked with the easily distractables—my crew from the after school program. They always want to spray each other with the hose and run around, but they’re starting to really know their way around the garden. They play a lot, but they have a relationship to the garden and a familiarity that is really growing. They recognize plants and weeds, and insects, too. Even when watering, they have a care-taking sensibility about it now, I think.

The Gift of Green

Sometimes the darkness of winter gets me down, but this Christmas gift from Urban Sprouts’ friend Jessica to her mom really made my day. Jessica made a gift to Urban Sprouts, dedicating a new garden in honor of her grandma. Jessica’s mom sent me this note after receiving her Christmas gift.

Jess and Sam (Droste Yagan) shared with me their wonderful gift of the addition of a new tier at one of your high school garden beds - in memory of my mother, Dorothy Harris (Jess' grandma). I am truly thrilled about such a meaningful gift (my mom would be delighted as well).

Jess said I need to give thought to a stone for the art students to design, which I will. What a great idea! I sincerely admire your program and all your dedication and hard work. My ultimate goal would be to create a similar program somewhere around here. As this is a rural, agrarian community, the actual vegetable gardening is probably not as meaningful to as many kids, but the value placed on stewardship of the land and sustainable leadership and a spirit of volunteerism among young people is critical no matter where you are in the world - also, the emphasis on wellness and nutrition.

Thank you for your dedication to youth and gardening, and, especially, your commitment to impact positive change in the world - one person at a time. People like you and Jess are indeed making a difference in the world. It makes me feel very proud. I truly can see my mother smiling about a project like yours!

Most sincerely -

Sherry Droste

New Garden Area at Wells H.S.

Wells' art students have a design for ceramic tiles that we'll attach to the fences surrounding the garden, to create garden dedications and memorials. You can add one as part of your donation to Urban Sprouts, of $125, $250 or above.

I have to say it was tough this week, coming back after break to the threat of school closures. But, happily, the sun shined on us in the garden on Wednesday at Ida B. Wells, and four science and art classes relaxed in the sun while pulling weeds, sketching and munching on greens.

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The Season of Giving

As we put the garden to bed for our brief Mediterranean winter, I appreciate this time to reflect and hibernate a little, and to catch up with friends of Urban Sprouts. All the warm energy and enthusiasm you all have been sending me helps to renew my inspiration for the hard work ahead.

Techno-Sprouts. I’m trying something new, inspired by Britt Bravo’s blog Have Fun • Do Good and her work helping nonprofits utilize technology. Visit Urban Sprouts e-News in blog form, and add your own comments! (Bear with me, I’m new at this!)

Garden Update. The gardens look so lush and green now as the rains begin! Broccoli plants are forming huge flowering heads while fava beans are climbing higher, reaching the knees and then the waists of students. The feasting has begun! We're making delicious fresh salads with a variety of greens: lettuces of all shapes and colors, baby spinach and chard, mustardy mizuna and tatsoi, spicy arugula, and tender leaves from fava shoots. But the youngsters’ favorite leafy green of all . . . Lemony sour oxalis weeds!! The pest of all pests! Well, besides the gophers who are still competing with us for all the best broccoli. If you live near Alamo Square or the Excelsior and would like to harvest collards, kale or other cooking greens over the holidays, there is PLENTY so let me know!

Classroom Notes. As I reflect on the year’s successes and challenges, I wanted to share some of my field notes from this fall. We’ve had hard days and inspiring days—I hope this pattern means we are improving over time, and that we can keep it up!

October 5, 2005
This time I stayed back in the classroom with the students who weren’t doing well. It took us several tries to get in a line and get outside. They were SO frustrating. It was last period and they were just bouncing off the walls, not listening to me at all. I got them to dig an easy bed and do some watering. The walk back to class was not so good. I think it was just my group. The others seemed to be OK. There is a small group of students who don’t listen or cooperate. Sometimes they won’t work at all. For now they can only do certain jobs—will those run out, or get boring? We can never run out of ground for just digging holes, right?

November 8, 2005
Ms. DeSnoo’s Special Day students are just amazing. The progress they have made is incredible. She has them in their seats, doing their work, cooperating, following the rules. There are definitely still outbursts but very limited compared to last year. They are excellent in the garden. They wander a bit and need reminders to stay focused, but they do a great job. They’re cooperative and positive in the garden and they get a lot of work done. Last week we found one ripe strawberry and they all passed it around and smelled it and couldn’t believe how strong and strawberry-like the smell was. Today they asked for more!

November 22, 2005
We had our best day yet at Ida B. We had a new volunteer there, too, making a huge difference. It was a day of ideal weather. The students dug an entire new path into a new area where there is no garden. I never thought I’d be able to get them to do the digging, even over months! But they did it all in one day. Students who usually participate did a LOT of work, and students who usually just complain really engaged and participated. It was great. The space is transformed.

Support and More Support! Thank you, thank you, gracias and obrigada for all the volunteer time and contributions pouring in to Urban Sprouts this fall! Every classroom volunteer and donation encourages me when times are tough in our schools and communities. Knowing you are all behind Urban Sprouts makes a huge difference!!

Thank you to our dedicated volunteers for giving more than 75 hours of classroom time:

Marianne Bojelian-Papas
Christina Chan
Alicia Connor
Zia Hrdy
Eddy Jara
Lisa Nguyen

Thank you to all our generous and caring donors who have given over $2,500 to date:

Claudia Anderson
Marisa Bosworth
Mike & Phoebe Bressack
Margot Duxler
Brook & CJ Higley
Steve Janko
Marianne Keenan
Alana Lachance
Anna Maria Luera
Jennifer Marshall
Patty & Michael Phleger
Augusta Prince
Abby Rosenheck
Mabel Rosenheck
Robert Rosenheck & Charlotte Hitchcock
Vede Rosenheck
Jessica & Sam Droste Yagan
Renee & Claude Zellweger

And an extra SPECIAL thanks to Bill & Christine of the Potrero Nuevo Fund who have pledged a grant of $7,500 to Urban Sprouts for the new year!

Remember, it’s not too late to make a special gift for the holidays! Give in honor of a loved one and you can make your own dedication stone to place in an Urban Sprouts garden. E-mail me today with your pledge of $35, $75 or $125!

These words of wisdom just came in from Odin Zackman, a friend of Urban Sprouts who builds community and sustainability through his consulting business, DIG IN. He reflected that gratitude “can help us build a healthier culture and create stronger relationships”:

When thinking about gratitude, I like to think of the common root of humble and human, meaning “to be close to the earth.” Like humus, that precious component of soil that gives it life, how can our humility and humanity—through the practice of giving thanks, create an experience and a world that is more grounded and alive?

The crazy holiday “season of giving” does give me the chance to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for the community of support that surrounds Urban Sprouts. Thank you!

Have a peaceful, cozy and very Happy Holidays!

Whether you’re gorging on Christmas, enjoying the traditional Jewish Chinese take-out, celebrating Kwanzaa (a harvest festival!), the solstice, the New Year, or nothing in particular, don’t forget to serve yourself some veggies!

Take care,

--ABBY

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Safety in School Gardens

For a short week, this has been a difficult one for me and many teachers and students of Urban Sprouts schools Luther Burbank and June Jordan. It was a big reminder of how important resources like school gardens can be for youth.

Tuesday afternoon there was a murder in the neighborhood that Burbank and Jordan belong to. At school we were told that the shooters abandoned their car in McLaren Park, the park that touches our garden. All afternoon the students remained in lockdown inside the school. I went outside to the garden, and helicopters hovered just overhead, searching, beating the air. I never before felt unsafe in the garden. The panic, not knowing what could happen next, was physical. And this is the second shooting near school just since September.

It tears me apart what faces the young students. Where can they feel safe? If school isn’t safe, then where?? They do find emotional safety, a sense of control and authentic connection, in the school garden: In therapeutic caring for other living things; in sharing the experience of growing, of life, with caring peers and adults; in personal growth, learning to care for oneself and to eat right, to nourish yourself. For young people so bombarded with tough stuff—how can they process the unending assault?—the garden remains a crucial, spiritual and peaceful place for youth development.

I want to let you know about the difference between youth development and other kinds of programs for children. Youth development means enabling youth to feel safe and supported, to build real relationships, to have real leadership and decision-making power, and to learn real skills that will help them succeed in life. Beyond school testing, prevention messages, or recreation, youth development is creating a place where youth can grow and develop, personally, educationally and professionally. Not every young person has access to these significant supports.

It breaks my heart at a time like this that supportive youth programs like Urban Sprouts are so undervalued and misunderstood. While we struggle to educate funders, politicians and school district players about the impact of school gardens, time is slipping away!

I think of the many breakthrough moments . . . When a young person feeling frustrated and upset is calmed by watering the lettuces; When a student’s father, in the US less than 4 months from the Philippines, coaches his daughter and other youth to transform our wild desert of weeds into nourishing, hand-crafted garden beds; When a student runs into class, ecstatic, inhaling a fresh, fragrant strawberry, candy tossed aside . . . I know this is what hope feels like! (Prince Charles knows what I’m talking about!!)

The media reduces urban violence to statistics; Tuesday's was just "number 88." But every incident touches many lives. We CAN’T wait for disasters like New Orleans to wake us up! If you haven’t already, please learn how you can support real youth development programs in your community. And spread the word!!

Urban Sprouts, I hope, is a great example. Support us anyway you can—spend time in the classroom, talk to me about how your personal or professional skills can give us a boost, or make a donation to Urban Sprouts. For a small, community-based force like us, your help will make a HUGE difference.

You can also find out about other youth development programs in your community. Organizations like the Youth Leadership Institute and CNYD set the standards for the field.

Thank you for reading this! And for doing what you can to spread the word about school gardens.

In other news, our gardens are growing faster every day, with all the sun and mild weather. Next time I’ll tell you all about how the students are harvesting and eating tasty fresh food they grew themselves!

Take care! Enjoy the holiday harvest!

--Abby

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environmental education
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e-News: October '05

Hello Friends of Urban Sprouts!

Sorry for the delay with this month’s e-news—I’ve already been asked, where’s the latest update?! You’ll be happy to know that there is a LOT going on in the school gardens, keeping me busy!

Garden Update. Over 300 students at Burbank, Jordan and Wells have been busy cultivating garden beds and planting seeds to get our gardens full of crops for the winter. Students have planted many favorite Brassica family members: broccoli, collards, bok choi, tatsoi, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, mizuna, and cauliflower. Also lettuces, carrots, beets, and chard. This week, we’ll be focusing on planting nitrogen fixers, fava beans and sweet peas. After planting these great winter crops, we’ll be able to harvest and eat salads and stir-frys all winter. Students are noticing that our soil has really improved since last year: it’s richer and more full of worms! Trivia Game: Win poppy or arugula seeds for your garden if you can name the family that beets and chard belong to! Double points if you can get carrots and lettuce, too! Winners announced next issue.

Volunteers Wanted! Thanks to the expertise of Britt Bravo, our Urban Sprouts volunteer program is up and running, bringing more people into the garden with us. We’re especially seeking help during the day in science classes, every Tuesday and some Thursdays and Fridays. If you have time during the day or know someone else who’d be interested, visit our Urban Sprouts website and click on the button, “Volunteer!” If you’d like to help at other times, contact me.

This Saturday: Garden Party Work Day. On Saturday, between 11am and 3pm, stop by the garden at Luther Burbank M.S. and help us to work, harvest, cook, eat and play in the school garden. You can experience a typical day in the garden and meet students, teachers, and other garden supporters. Hope to see you there! Burbank is located at 325 La Grande, between Persia and Brazil Streets.

A Great Way You can Help Right Now: We want to let even more people know about the important work of building school garden programs in under-served schools and helping all youth gain access to healthy, fresh organic food. I will soon begin sending out informative newsletters and personalized letters to get all of you even more involved with our work. To do this, we must build our mailing list. Please send me your mailing address, and addresses for any of your friends or contacts who would like to learn more about Urban Sprouts. You can help us spread the word about the importance of urban gardens for youth!

Please note that we have completed the transition to Urban Sprouts in cyberspace: check out our website at www.urbansprouts.org and e-mail me at abby@urbansprouts.org.

Take care, everyone! Eat your veggies and smile in the rain!

--Abby