Operation Kids
Kids
 

The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

About the Organization:Drew Brees Logo
The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESYNOLA), located on the public school campuses of Samuel J. Green Charter School and Arthur Ashe Charter School in New Orleans , integrates organic gardening and fresh seasonal cooking into the school’s curriculum and culture. Students in grades K-8 participate in gardening and cooking lessons that reinforce coursework in core subjects (science, social studies, language and math). The project is reviving and promoting the rich gardening and culinary heritages of New Orleans while providing hands-on growing and cooking experiences for public school students.

The initiative is based on the successful Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley , CA , a project of renowned chef Alice waters and the Chez Panisse Foundation.

Green Charter School and Ashe Charter School are both managed by FirstLine Schools, Inc., led by Dr. Tony Recasner. The combined population of the schools is about 550 students.

Approved Project:
Edible Garden

Project Description and Status:
Thanks to a generous contribution from Harrah’s Foundation through Operation Kids and the Drew Brees Dream Foundation, the Edible Garden at Green Charter School is thriving with hundreds of seasonal vegetable, herb, flower and edible tree varieties. The garden is now complete and is lush and verdant with 25 citrus trees, strawberries, greens, lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, and a large variety of herbs. Additional features include a butterfly garden, fruit and vegetable sculpture by local artist Luis Colmaneres, a wetlands area, and a newly completed outdoor classroom with a “green” living roof.

Students in grades K-8th participate in hands-on gardening activities and are involved in every aspect from seed to table. Gardening classes include weekly lower school classes, weekly 4th and 8th grade garden science classes, and after-school Edible Elective classes that operate Monday through Thursday for all grade levels. Edible Garden classes teach core life science subject matter such as seasonality, weather, lifecycles, food webs, carbon and water cycles, decomposition, plant parts and functions, ecosystems, and ecology. Edible Garden classes also reinforce core lessons of math standards such as measurements and calculations, and language through journaling and identification activities. Funds are being used to support a Garden Teacher salary for during the day and after-school programming at both sites. Over 500 pounds of produce has come from the Edible Garden . Produce is used in seasonal cooking classes and is given away at no-cost to Green and Ashe families.

Ashe Charter School has an after-school garden program where the kids have built over (10) raised beds and are growing a variety of vegetables and herbs. Funds have been used to construct garden beds, build garden benches, and to purchase garden supplies (hoses, tools, etc.). Additional programming includes weekly garden classes, a cooking club, Food ABC classes for kindergarteners and seasonal fields trips and events such as a blueberry pick field trip and culminating blueberry cooking class.

For more information, visit www.esynola.org

Project Cost:
$257,000

Funds Still Needed:
This project is fully funded.

Video News Clips about this Project:
Edible School Yard Project

 

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The Edible Schoolyard at Green Charter School integrates organic gardening and fresh seasonal cooking into the schools’ curriculum, culture and food programs. Here, seasonal eggplants, peppers, sunflowers and herbs are growing that will be harvested, prepared and enjoyed by the students.

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The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans at Green Charter School is transforming a large parcel of school property into an Edible Teaching Garden, complete with an outdoor classroom, outdoor kitchen, potting shed, and garden areas to organically grow seasonal produce and vegetables.

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Beautiful newly built arbors are now in-place at Green Charter School, where students will learn how to grow grapes, meriliton, and other edible vines in the expansive garden.

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The infrastructure for The Edible Garden at Green Charter School was installed in mid- to-late 2007. This included relocating a playground area to increase the growing area for seasonal crops, erecting an outdoor classroom and arbors, and installing an outdoor kitchen area, courtyards, and walkways.

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Students learn that through gardening they can beautify their school campus and the surrounding community. Here, students plant seasonal flowers and edibles on the front porch of Green Charter.

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3rd grade students use the school’s Butterfly Garden to become "garden detectives." They are on a mission to find as many different species of caterpillars that will eventually turn into butterflies as part of their garden/science lesson.

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A 5th grade student at Green Charter School plants chives in one of the first herb garden beds created at The Edible Schoolyard. Harvested herbs and vegetables are used in seasonal cooking classes that teach kids how to prepare and enjoy fresh grown produce.

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Green Charter Students participate in a local strawberry tasting activity where they use their language skills to describe the taste and texture of different varieties of berries, and to use research what varieties of strawberries they would like to plant in their very own Edible Garden.

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4th graders set up and prepare for service of seasonal strawberry treats for younger students, K-3rd, as part of the Strawberry Festival.

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A 4th grade student at Green Charter School enjoys a seasonal treat of homemade ice cream with a Louisiana Strawberry Sauce as part of The Edible Schoolyard's Strawberry Festival. Students in grades K-4 learn how to prepare these treats from scratch as part of a seasonal festival to promote local, fresh eating for students and families.