Composting with Red Wiggler Worms

Project Overview

YNC10-058
Project Type: Youth
Funds awarded in 2010: $400.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2013
Region: North Central
State: Illinois
Project Coordinator:
Emma Ahern
Andrew Cooke Magnet School
Co-Coordinators:
Julie Ahern
Andrew Cooke Magnet School

Annual Reports

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Education and Training: youth education
  • Soil Management: composting

    Abstract:

    Our school has a large active greenhouse which won a Pepsi grant this year to replace the old roof. We are now actively seeking sustainable agriculture projects to let the students have hands-on learning. 

     

    Our town already has a large group of people who are committed to a green lifestyle and passing on this knowledge to others, especially the youth of our community. Numerous members of this group have committed to helping our school build a well-rounded green curriculum with built-in hands-on growing experiences. We are also developing plans to grow plants to donate to area parks, retirement homes and food banks.

     

    We had our 4th graders work with the worms. They collected food and spread it in the bins. We studied the parts of the worm and how they work, helping the soil while decomposing the compost, another area of our learning. I believe that learning about composting would compliment the other growing project that will be completed with the students.

     

    Project objectives:

    The students are now familiar with the parts of a worm and its importance to our soil.

    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.