Sustainability Club Proposal
Mission Statement: To teach students how to live sustainable lives by growing food, learning how it is processed through first hand experience, readings and films as well as working with the community and reflecting throughout the entire process.
Vision:
· Benton Harbor High School students will grow and eat their own food.
· Benton Harbor students will become self-sustainable.
· The club will become an elective class that students can take and get credit for.
· To bring an agricultural program back to Benton Harbor.
· Benton Harbor students will learn about the rich agricultural history of their county.
· Benton Harbor students will become engaged in their community.
.
1) Grow a garden— teach students how to tend a garden to learn where food comes from and what goes in to growing it. ** See if community can donate tools, seeds and seedlings. Also—land?
· Tomatoes
· Collard greens
· Corn
· Peas
· Green beans
· Peppers
· Summer squash
· Basil
· Onions?
· Garlic?
· Watermelon
Donation possibilities:
· Pater True Value Hardware store in Scottdale Center (tools, materials)
· Lowe’s (tools, materials)
· Home Depot (tools, materials)
· Meijer’s (tools, materials)
· Wal-Mart (tools, materials)
· Family Farm Store next to Wal-mart
· Local farmers (expertise?)
· Other schools (resources, network, materials)
2) Keep a compost pile—teach students how to make a compost pile and use it for fertilizer
3) Field trips
· Local Farms—Bob Degrandchamps Blueberries, (dairy?) (chicken farm?)
· Danielle’s parents—Bluebird medeaows of Stevensville—Mike and Kathy Brown (organic farm)
· Erin Brinkley—horticulture, grew up on a farm
· Lori Bolt—Landscape Architect and garndener—Nature’s Way
· CSA in Bangor
· Butcher shop—Bridgman
· Cheese factory—Spinks Corners
· Baskery—Younique Bakery in Benton Harbor
· Coloma Frozen Foods
· Benton Harbor Fruit Market
· Food canning (home, & factory)
· St Joe garden club @the library
· Berrien County 4H fair
· Michigan State Extension
4) View films
· Food Inc
· Fast Food Nation
· Fresh
· Etc
5) Read
· Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
· The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
· Food Inc. Readings
· Food Rules by Micahel Pollan
· Readings by William Saletan
6) Writing/ Reflection
· Students will reflect and respond to readings, films, speakers and field trips
7) Promotion
· Hire my friend Ginger to create a logo
· Make posters and hang around school and community establishments
· Make announcements
· Go to businesses to ask for donations
· Talk to community members to see if they will help
8) Fundraisers
· Look into grant projects
· Sell carnations at school
· Sponsor a party/ benefit of some kind
· Veggie stand
· Need more ideas…???!!!
9) Future Goals
· keep a henhouse and raise eggs
· Turn this club into an elective English class e.g. New York Public School class
· Have a vegetable stand at local farmer’s markets to raise awareness
· Serve food that the students have grown in the cafeteria
10) Materials Needed:
· Hoes
· Rakes
· Shovels
· Seeds
· Seedlings
· Hoses
· Watering cans
· Wheel barrow
· Container for compost
· Some kind of fencing
· Land
· Paper for posters
· Copies of posters
Other adults to volunteer
Mission Statement: To teach students how to live sustainable lives by growing food, learning how it is processed through first hand experience, readings and films as well as working with the community and reflecting throughout the entire process.
Vision:
· Benton Harbor High School students will grow and eat their own food.
· Benton Harbor students will become self-sustainable.
· The club will become an elective class that students can take and get credit for.
· To bring an agricultural program back to Benton Harbor.
· Benton Harbor students will learn about the rich agricultural history of their county.
· Benton Harbor students will become engaged in their community.
.
1) Grow a garden— teach students how to tend a garden to learn where food comes from and what goes in to growing it. ** See if community can donate tools, seeds and seedlings. Also—land?
· Tomatoes
· Collard greens
· Corn
· Peas
· Green beans
· Peppers
· Summer squash
· Basil
· Onions?
· Garlic?
· Watermelon
Donation possibilities:
· Pater True Value Hardware store in Scottdale Center (tools, materials)
· Lowe’s (tools, materials)
· Home Depot (tools, materials)
· Meijer’s (tools, materials)
· Wal-Mart (tools, materials)
· Family Farm Store next to Wal-mart
· Local farmers (expertise?)
· Other schools (resources, network, materials)
2) Keep a compost pile—teach students how to make a compost pile and use it for fertilizer
3) Field trips
· Local Farms—Bob Degrandchamps Blueberries, (dairy?) (chicken farm?)
· Danielle’s parents—Bluebird medeaows of Stevensville—Mike and Kathy Brown (organic farm)
· Erin Brinkley—horticulture, grew up on a farm
· Lori Bolt—Landscape Architect and garndener—Nature’s Way
· CSA in Bangor
· Butcher shop—Bridgman
· Cheese factory—Spinks Corners
· Baskery—Younique Bakery in Benton Harbor
· Coloma Frozen Foods
· Benton Harbor Fruit Market
· Food canning (home, & factory)
· St Joe garden club @the library
· Berrien County 4H fair
· Michigan State Extension
4) View films
· Food Inc
· Fast Food Nation
· Fresh
· Etc
5) Read
· Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
· The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
· Food Inc. Readings
· Food Rules by Micahel Pollan
· Readings by William Saletan
6) Writing/ Reflection
· Students will reflect and respond to readings, films, speakers and field trips
7) Promotion
· Hire my friend Ginger to create a logo
· Make posters and hang around school and community establishments
· Make announcements
· Go to businesses to ask for donations
· Talk to community members to see if they will help
8) Fundraisers
· Look into grant projects
· Sell carnations at school
· Sponsor a party/ benefit of some kind
· Veggie stand
· Need more ideas…???!!!
9) Future Goals
· keep a henhouse and raise eggs
· Turn this club into an elective English class e.g. New York Public School class
· Have a vegetable stand at local farmer’s markets to raise awareness
· Serve food that the students have grown in the cafeteria
10) Materials Needed:
· Hoes
· Rakes
· Shovels
· Seeds
· Seedlings
· Hoses
· Watering cans
· Wheel barrow
· Container for compost
· Some kind of fencing
· Land
· Paper for posters
· Copies of posters
Other adults to volunteer