Vision

Students in this organizational group are community focused, passionate about stopping hunger, and driven to provide healthy eating for students and the wider community. This initiative started post-COVID and aligned with the UN sustainability goal 2 – Zero Hunger. We furthered our actions this year to expand our project to reach more individuals within the school and the community. Last year, we bought, grew, and donated plants and vegetables. This year, we diversified what we planted and learned how to grow different plants from seed. We were able to grow a wider variety of vegetables and increase what we donated to the Lions Club Community Garden Project. For our initiative this year, we also continued to build our partnerships with the Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club and the Community Food Share. Our group’s goal of Zero Hunger aligns with the Lions Club, so there is a vested interest in continuing the partnership for both groups. Our group also partners with the Community Food Share to address local food insecurity issues.

Action

At the beginning of this year, our group met with the Community Food Share and learned about what vegetables, plants, etc., are in need for their community garden projects and collectively what we may do to help the community. After the meeting, and with the knowledge of which plants would have a great impact if we grew, we started to purchase and grow the plants from seeds; this was an incredible growth for our group as last year, we transplanted plants. Along with the vegetables, we also learned about the importance of pollinators and natural ways to repel insects. The group added a variety of flowering plants to our growth plan. Expert gardeners, who are also Lion members, have provided us with planting resources, especially with this being our first time growing from seed. The group was invited to speak at a Lion’s Club meeting to share our group’s efforts and to pitch possible future plans for irrigation (sustainable water use). Our outreach efforts, including our school’s Facebook page and student column “Seaway Scoop” in the local newspaper, have shared our progress and highlighted our efforts to reduce food insecurity in our area. It is our hope that with this continued exposure in local media, the number of students interested in the project will increase.

This year we were also able to start our growing earlier from seed. In early March, we planted several plants in a science classroom on a LED light grow station. As we approached the warmer weather, our group, as well as math classes (as they were learning about measurement, life skills, budgeting, etc.), transplanted the plants onto tables in the greenhouse. With the varying patterns in spring weather, we had discussions about the impact of climate change on our growing season. Once it was warm enough to access the unheated greenhouse, we also planted seeds in the raised beds, such as cabbage, carrots, turnips, spinach, etc. and started growing herbs and flowers, such as marigolds. Our group was dedicated to the survival of the seedlings, which helped to build leadership skills and responsibility. In May, our success was evident as we had over 169 marigold plants. The group decided to have a “Marigold for Mothers” plant sale. Our generous community helped us raise over $500 for Community Food Share. The involvement of various classes helped us continue to plant seedlings throughout April and May. With our ability to expand this year, the grade 9 science classes took home tomato plants that they started from seed. This impacts families, which is important to us.

Reflection & Celebration

Overall, our group’s donations to the Community Garden have increased from 60 plants last year to over 200 plants donated this year. With the marigold sale, the funds will be directly donated to Community Food Share in our community. Also, the grade 7/8 snack program harvests salad greens regularly as part of their healthy eating curriculum. Finally, salad greens, beans, turnips and radishes will continually be donated for Food Share clients until the end of June. Within our school community, the number of students directly working in the greenhouse has increased and our continued plans for cross-curricular opportunities in the greenhouse will allow even more students to become involved and be positively impacted.

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