EcoSpeer-it Garden
Vision
Our vision for Canada is…
Children learn where their food comes from and learn that there is a sustainable and safe way to grow and harvest healthy whole foods- even in their own back yard!
Action
We have created spaces to plant vegetables and maintain a vegetable garden at our school that everyone can access throughout all stages of development. It can also be a cross-curricular learning space and a place to experience outdoor education, and mindfulness. Our project allows for teachers to engage students in hands-on learning of the process in which they can garden organic, non-GMO food for themselves and others. In the city, children may not have the opportunity to learn these important skills and lessons. Our Eco Speer-it team members are involved in the design and implementation of the garden, and they inform our community about the progress and successes of our garden (newsletter submissions, morning announcements, assemblies, etc.)
Reflection & Celebration
Our garden is an on-going process. We are planting and we would like to expand into the kindergarten area so the leaders of the school can share their knowledge and work with our youngest in the garden. Challenges include finding ways to discourage vandalism, and successes include students being encouraged by their efforts to start again, and from their healthy harvests. There are a good number of staff involved in the project and many students and their families are interested in maintaining the garden in the summer months.