Urban Greening Grant Proposal_Tia Bianchini

Imagine your local grocery store; chances are the shelves are loaded with colorful bags and boxes of processed, artificially flavored and genetically modified foods. In fact, over 70% of the items offered in conventional grocery stores are genetically modified. Meals can be instantly micro-waved or picked up from a fast-food drive through, all with an expected wait time of less than 60 seconds. This is how we are teaching our children to eat. Rather than opt for a raw fruit or vegetable snack, chances are most children choose salty, sugary items that come from a plastic bag and are far from "fresh" but can be obtained quickly. But why is convenience valued over nutritional benefit? In a time when diabetes and high blood pressure are commonly occurring among children, how can no one make the correlation? We are what we eat and it is imperative that we begin to educate our children about the importance of the contents of their lunch bag. Enter the Edible School Yard. In New Orleans a public charter school wanted to ensure the health of their students, families and community and they thought an organic, hands-on learning garden would be the way to do it. The students help with every facet of gardening, from planting to harvesting and eventually even preparing what they have grown into a nutritious meal. Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESY NOLA) was founded in 2006 due to the influence of Alice Waters, the chef discussed in Tyler’s case study. The faculty was able to incorporate lessons from academic areas of study, such as math and science, into what is being taught in the garden, bringing the child’s learning experience full circle. The aid of the edible schoolyard has also encouraged the cafeteria menu to change, now offering seasonal, organic produce rather than the aforementioned processed, artificial foods most of us have come to know in the cafeteria. Along with the garden and cafeteria, the edible schoolyard has expanded into a kitchen classroom and has even been integral to involving the community in the healthy food initiative.