Garden, Compost, Research Paper

So, I have some bad news... apparently I didn't qualify for the grant I spent 3 hours applying for, which is a huge dissapointment! Mrs. Price and I checked to make sure I was eligible for this grant, but I guess we missed something. Supposedly I'm supposed to be affiliated with a public school somehow, but I thought I could be affiliated with a private oganization (which would be Oakbrook). Hopefully I'll be able to apply for another grant before the year is over. I will be looking at other grant options during the 2nd semester, but until then, I've got too much on my plate. I still have some major corrections to make on my research paper. I need to add at least 4 or 5 more sources to my paper, which is already 16 pages long. This is a problem. I really want to stick to my original thesis, focusing on the how buying local organic food is better for the environment, one's health, and the economy, but that topic turned out to be a much larger area to cover than I anticipated. I'm finding that I could go on and on about those three things and probably write a 25 page paper easily. I wish there wasn't a page limit- and I'm not trying to sound like a nerd. We shall see.

As for the garden, the plants continue to grow, though some are suffering. I think it's because they require more water than I'm able to give. I try to water them every day and on the weekends, but sometimes I can't water them on one day of the weekend because I'm out of town or something. I water them every school day, though. As for the composting, it's still going. I'm debating whether or not I should end the compost once Christmas break arrives. Or else, it will become massive and overwhelming. I still go by the 4th grade, now about only 2 times a week, to empty the compost with them. They also take turns watering the plants. Every time I come by the get my three volunteers, they are all so excited to go, they fight over whose turn it is to be "the volunteer". I'm not sure if they're just excited to get out of class or if they're truly excited about the garden. Hopefully the latter.

$1000 or $0

So, this week I applied for my grant! I didn't think I could get it done, but after a few hours and a few meetings with Mrs. Price, everything was in order. Now all there is left to do is wait. I will be notified at the end of November on whether or not I was successful.

So, here's a little overview of what I plan to do this year. I'm not sure if I had mentioned before my idea to plant potatoes with the 4th graders or do a healthy food week at school. I requested $1000, so now I'm just crossing my fingers in anticipation. Here is a poor-quality phone picture of my plants' progress! This was taken a few weeks ago, so they have grown a bit more than this. But, this is when they are just poking their heads up out of the ground!

 Here are a few of the questions I answered:

Service-Learning Project Summary: (required)
Please provide a brief summary of your service-learning project (10 sentences or less). Please be informative and thorough addressing "who, what, when, where, and how" questions as they apply to this project. YSA reviewers will use these summaries to determine whether your project meets our criteria and is eligible for funding. YSA also uses these summaries to promote projects to the media. (Suggestion: you may want to revisit, revise and review your summary after you have completed your application.)

My goal is to teach the 4th graders of Oakbrook Preparatory School how to grow their own food, compost, and buy foods locally as much as possible. We have built three raised beds behind my school and are now currently growing all of the following: broccoli, squash, beets, onions, garlic, and kale. We built the raised beds near a water outlet and bought a hose so as to water the plants every day. I also bought a compost bin that is located next to the raised beds. After having introduced the concept of composting to the 4th graders, I made them a mini compost bin that I empty with three of them every other day. The students have planted the seeds themselves and empty the compost themselves as well, while I supervise. I want the students to be more aware of their environmental impact through their food choices and to do that, I have decided to grow a school garden. I also want them to be aware of the natural cycle that organic gardening promotes and the type of self-sustainable lifestyle it generates.

Community Need (required)
How will you engage students in identifying a community need? What data suggests that this project is needed?

There is a community need for supporting local farming and organic growing. I will engage students in identifying this community need by getting them physically involved in the planting of seeds, composting, harvesting, and preparing a meal with the vegetables grown. There is unlimited evidence that conventional farming is detrimental to the environment and society's health as a whole. By returning to traditional farming practices that we, as a society, used to cherish, the kids will begin to fully understand the significance in being self-sufficient and self- sustainable. They will attain appreciation for the seasonal foods that are grown locally because of their significant superiority of taste and health benefits. Overall, my project will reintroduce a lifestyle that has gone out of fashion, but is nonetheless valuable because of its environmental friendliness, health benefits, and community strengthening factors.

MLK Day (required)
YSA endorses the teachings and leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. who encouraged all to give through service. What element of this project could be done or around MLK Day (Monday, January 17, 2011)?

On January 17, 2011, we will plant potatoes together as a group, with the idea that these potatoes will be donated to the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen; thus, increasing our outreach to the community. I will also have a local, organic farmer come in to talk the students about organic farming and what its benefits are to the community, the earth, and to our health.  During this week, we will eliminate junk food options on campus, replacing them with varieties of healthier snacks, to educate and create awareness of the benefits of healthy eating. We will also create signs, describing the nutritional information and comparing unhealthy snacks with their healthy counterparts. We will measure the impact of this week of selling healthy snacks to determine student response.

Global Youth Service Day (required)
A significant component of the project must take place on Global Youth Service Day (GYSD).

What significant element of this project will take place on GYSD (April 15-17, 2011)?

On this day, we will harvest the vegetables and create a meal together consisting of them. It will be a significant experience for the students to experience the taste of something they themselves grew in their very own school-backyard. It will be a celebration of the entire year’s hard work of caring for the plants and an eye-opener regarding the care and attention it takes to grow food. This day will result with a fuller appreciation for food and an understanding of its significance and limited amount. On this day, we will also show a viewing of the documentary Food Inc., which demonstrates the value of organic local buying and educates the student body on how to live self sustainably and why this sort of lifestyle is more valuable. This increases our outreach to over 400 students and faculty.

Well, that is all for now. When I hear about the grant, I shall let everyone know!

Just Keeping On.

This week has been pretty uneventful regarding my senior project. My plants are continuing to grow, though I am a bit nervous about the oncoming cold weather. I hope the little guys can make it through the winter! Composting is still continuing. The 4^th graders are enthralled with the oncoming plants every time I take them out to compost. I water the plants every day that it doesn’t rain. I even travel the whole 15 minutes to Oakbrook on weekends to water them. That shows my dedication! I need to start thinking about a possible fence. Now that the research paper rough draft is in, I am waiting for its return so that I can make my corrections. The next big thing on my list is to apply for the grant for $1000. The application is due on the 9^th, and I have yet to start it. I am confident I will be fine and I think I definitely have a chance at getting it. We shall see. Unfortunately that is all I have for now on my project update. Til next Friday when I have something more to say- probably regarding the grant!

Here is a picture of the compost bin I made for the 4th grade a few months ago.