How can we better manage the bounty the Earth provides us? This fall two Boxerwood educators have been exploring this question with students enrolled in a 7th grade garden ecology class at Parry McCluer Middle School in Buena Vista. In collaboration with classroom teacher Angie Patterson, our team has introduced a new student action project around school food waste: what it is, why it’s a problem, and what to do about it.
During our two-week module (which we’ll roll out three times this year for different classes), students first learn about the problems of food waste generally then act as scientists collecting data about their own school issues. A key component in the process is the cafeteria food waste audit in which students collect, sort and weigh unwanted food from their classmates’ trays and interview peers about their choices. It’s a process where everyone has a role and ultimately everyone is part of the solution.
Boxerwood educators Ginny Johnson and Madeline Fuentes report their students have been excited about doing something positive for their school and the Earth. In the first two project iterations, the 7th graders have already worked with school administrators to enact several food waste reduction measures. These include installing a cafeteria suggestion box and extending kitchen composting efforts to include student lunch scraps. Thanks to a grant from the World Wildlife Fund, Boxerwood will be able to continue to work with PMMS in the months to come while also expanding this exciting work to other schools.
