Incorporating Lessons in Sustainable Agriculture from Farm Field Trips into K-8 School Gardens in Low-Income Neighborhoods

Progress report for YENC24-223

YENC24-223 (project overview)
Project Type: Youth Educator
Funds awarded in 2024: $6,000.00
Projected End Date: 02/15/2026
Grant Recipient: Children First: CEO Kansas
Region: North Central
State: Kansas
Project Manager:
Michael Webb
Email
Children First: CEO Kansas
Project Co-Managers:
Kathleen Webb
Email
Children First CEO Kansas Inc.
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Project Information

Summary:

Children 1st has long-standing partnerships with
several farms in the Wichita area.  Starting in the Spring
2024 semester, our K-8 students will visit these farms on field
trips, interview the farmers, and learn sustainable farming
techniques they can replicate in their school gardens.  The
students will also organize a science fair to present the lessons
they’ve learned to the public, and lead tours of their school
garden.  Planned activities will focus on pollinators and
beneficial insects, permaculture, sustainable energy,
vermiculture, value-added products, and agribusiness careers.

Project Objectives:
  • 100 low-income students from four K-8 Wichita schools will
    visit three or more local farms to learn sustainable farming
    practices.
  • Four schools hosting C1st Education Gardens will
    incorporate lessons learned (e.g. permaculture, pollinators,
    vermiculture) from field trips.
  • One or more guest speakers will come to each C1st
    school with an Education Garden and talk about sustainable
    agriculture and careers in agribusiness.
  • Two science fairs at All Saints School.
  • Ten or more nutritious recipes (e.g. salsa, smoothies, pizza)
    developed by students using produce from the Education Gardens to
    introduce the concept of Value-Added agribusiness.  

Cooperators

Click linked name(s) to expand/collapse or show everyone's info

Educational & Outreach Activities

2 Tours

Participation Summary:

1 Farmers/ranchers
135 Youth
20 Parents
10 Educators
Education/outreach description:

Elderslie Farm was about goat life (production of cheese),  Meadowlark (plant life, apple tree lifecycle, bats and eco location for pest control)-

 

Learning Outcomes

Key strengths and weaknesses of this curricula or lesson plans:

None

Project Outcomes

Increased organizational support to explore and teach sustainable ag:
No
Explanation for change in organizational support to explore and teach sustainable ag:

n/a

Sustainable Agriculture practices parents adopted:

n/a

Success stories:

n/a

Recommendations:

None

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Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.