PPT to facilitate Grow, Eat and Learn Workshop facilitation, January 14, 2011

1. Grow, Eat and Learn
Workshop and Discussion
January 14, 2011

2. Projects in Arlington and Alexandria
include…
• Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)
Plant a Row
• School Food Services
F2T and Schoolyard 2 Cafeteria
• Lawns 2 Lettuces 4 Lunch
Ashlawn Elementary School
• Peter Rabbit Garden
Tuckahoe Elementary School
• Alexandria Elementary Schools
• Tancil Court, Alexandria
• Virginia Gardens, Arlington
• George Washington Middle School
Community Gardens
• Williamsburg, Kenmore, Gunston Middle
Schools
• Area High Schools e.g. TC Williams
• Arlington Career Center

3. Why?
ISSUES GOALS
• Physical Activity • Change Body Mass Index
– CDC recommends 60 mins – Decrease sedentary behavior
a day moderate activity and increase fruit/veg
consumption
• Healthy Eating
– USDA recommends “5 a
• Provide research-based
day” education
– Food production, consumption,
• Environmental waste and energy cycles
Education/Outdoor
• Increase community
Learning
– Some research supports
connections
children benefit from being • Foster youth development
and learning outdoors

4. Educational Resources
• Age appropriate
• Context appropriate
• VA Standards of
Learning linkage

5. Project PLANTS
Promoting Lifelong Activity and Nutrition Through
Schools
After-School Garden Clubs
• USDA sponsored
• Four elementary schools
• Twice a week, 1.5 hour sessions
with 4th and 5th graders
• Club activities: healthy snack,
physical activity, gardening,
clean-up, journal and reflection

6. Project PLANTS
Promoting Lifelong Activity and Nutrition Through
Schools
Parent-Home Component
• Garden Newsletter
tips and recipes
• “Take-Home” questions
• Garden Plants
with care instructions

7. Project PLANTS
Promoting Lifelong Activity and Nutrition Through
Schools
Volunteer Program
• Cooperative Extension train,
mentor and support volunteers
• Volunteers include school staff,
after-school staff, MG, PTA,
and wider community
• Collaborative group of
volunteers work together and
connect to school/community

8. Imagine….

9. Arlington Traditional School
I Can Grow Vegetable Garden
Club
For the Burpee 2011 I Can Grow Youth Garden Award

10. March 17 2009. Bare earth.
Scout families begin the veg patch and plant.
We water and wait…

11. Three weeks later - June 10 2009.
Picking the first radish. WOW!
… and it’s delicious!

12. Learn to grow, look after and harvest
vegetables.
• The soccer team
harvests chili
peppers and
cinnamon basil.
• We take the first
donation of
vegetables from
school to the
Arlington Food
Assistance Center.

13. Our Second Year Growing Vegetables at ATS.
March 2010.
First Grade and K plant lettuce, radishes, kale,
and carrots…
… in a special 4 - 0 shape. Why?

14. …To Celebrate 40th Earth Day 2010!
Everyone tours the garden.
69 Second Graders harvest, prepare
and eat kale with lunch.
The first students cook and taste our
school-grown vegetables!

15. The Fourth Grade 4-H group
adds another bed to the vegetable patch.
We study water and compost -
that’s on the VA Standards of Learning!

16. If we win the Burpee I Can Grow
2011 Youth Garden Award….we will
• Establish an I Can
Grow after-school club
• Plant and maintain our
vegetable garden
• Meet regularly every
week
• Build friendships and
community connections
• Learn science, healthy
life styles and more!

17. Next steps…
• Networks
• Information exchange
• Research
• Funding