UAlbany
Hosts Schuyler School Garden Harvest
Contact:
Karl Luntta (518) 437-4980
ALBANY,
N.Y. (October 7, 2003) -- The students of Philip Schuyler
Elementary School today shared the harvest of their successful
garden, sponsored by the University at Albany and the Kids
Growing Food (KGF) program, with dignitaries including Albany
Mayor Gerald Jennings and Dean Katharine Briar-Lawson of University
at Albany School of Social Welfare.
The
Kids Growing Food (KGF) program, started in 1998 with funds
from the New York State Attorney General's Office, has engaged
thousands of New York and Mid-Atlantic region students, teachers,
and community volunteers in a wide range of schoolyard food
garden projects.
�The
Kids Growing Food program gives our City�s children the opportunity
to learn how to grow and maintain a food garden. I am grateful
to all those involved in this program for their commitment
to children,� said Mayor Jennings.
The
Schuyler school garden sits on University at Albany grounds
near the University's School of Social Welfare on the downtown
campus. The Social Welfare school has collaborated with Philip
Schuyler School on numerous initiatives, including the Parent
Resource Center, a program to extend the classroom learning
experience into the home, and the Time Dollar Program, in
which children buy school supplies with "time dollars"
earned through volunteer service in their school or community.
"Our
University's School of Social Welfare partnership the past
three years with Philip Schuyler school is working to address
the barriers in advancing their children's education. The
development and implementation of this hands-on experience
for kids growing food -- at their school -- is one more example
of making a difference in the lives of these children and
their families," said Dean Briar-Lawson.
KGF
is administered by Cornell University's New York Agriculture
in the Classroom, which has provided grants to help schools
initiate or maintain food gardens on their school campuses
or easily accessible off-campus sites. In addition, participating
schools receive agriculture-related education materials and
support services. All garden site teachers receive professional
development training at workshops held around New York and
Mid-Atlantic states.
In
return for grant money and other support, Kids Growing Food
grant recipients agree to plant 60 percent of the garden with
edible fruits and vegetables, develop a plan for summer maintenance,
publicize the garden, and file a Final Report on their garden
experience. Final reports from Kids Growing Food grant recipients
show that Kids Growing Food gardens involve numerous audiences
including teachers, students, school personnel, farmers, local
agriculture businesses, and other community volunteers.
For
more information on the Kids Growing Food program, visit http://cerp.cornell.edu/kgf/moreinfo.asp.
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