Grow Ohio Grant Awardees
Project Summaries
Connecting Kids to Meals ($34,800)
Connecting Kids to Meals is a Summer Food Service Program provider that will partner with Ohio State University Extension and Toledo Lucas County Public Libraries along with several local nonprofits and food producers in the Toledo area to promote gardening and literacy for participating children. Lessons and activities will incorporate outdoor and indoor hydroponic growing as well as cooking demonstrations. Student interns from the Toledo Public Schools Science Academy will help facilitate lessons and mentor youth.
Vermillion High School, Vermillion City Schools ($9,242)
Students enrolled in “Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources” as part of the district’s newly established agriculture career-technical education program will launch a hydroponics growing program that will provide fresh lettuce for the school’s meal programs. Students will work with local growers to build their knowledge as well as provide agriculture lessons to the district’s elementary students.
Cincinnati Public Schools ($40,000)
Cincinnati Public Schools will provide opportunities for students interested in the Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways of agriculture and hospitality to get hands-on experience growing, harvesting, and cooking fresh food in an urban environment through the purchase of hydroponic grow towers. Students enrolled in these classes will also be exposed to potential career opportunities in agriculture, food, and nutrition by participating in field trips to local organizations including Cincinnati Cooks and the Prince Hill Community Garden. Furthermore, in partnership with Green Umbrella, students enrolled in the Agriculture Education Career Tech pathway will be trained by certified teachers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), a gold-standard produce safety certification. Students will work alongside agricultural teachers to meet the food safety criteria needed to have Aiken High School Farm GAP certified. Once GAP certified, student grown produce at Aiken Farm will be shipped to the foodservice department and incorporated into salad bars and student meals.
The Buckeye Ranch ($16,945)
The Buckeye Ranch will launch a “Gardening for Growth Program” focused on providing innovative educational and therapeutic programming to children receiving treatment
. Children will actively participate in the planning, creation, and cultivation of the garden in partnership with garden experts from Ohio State Extension in Franklin County and the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church Community Garden. The Buckeye Ranch will create a garden space with a variety of garden bed types and heights to ensure inclusivity for children unable to squat, kneel, or bend. Produce from the garden will be incorporated into school meals.
Olmsted Falls City Schools ($39,988)
An Urban Agriculture and Sustainability course will be developed at Olmsted Falls High School, integrating farm to table experiences for students centered on real world experiences and exposure to a variety of growing techniques. Students will be exposed to career pathways in agriculture and sustainability through guest speakers and field trips to the Secrest Arboretum at Ohio State University's Wooster Campus and Cleveland State University. Students participating in the school’s Environmental Science club and Helping Hands will also work in the school garden helping to maintain the garden space during school breaks. Produce grown by students will be delivered to the school’s foodservice department and highlighted in meals. Excess produce will be donated to a local food pantry.
Lakewood City Schools ($13,465)
Harrison Elementary students will be immersed in agriculture year-round through the expansion of their raised-bed gardens and the addition of hydroponic grow towers. Partnerships, including field trips to Ohio City Farms, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and the district’s culinary program at Westshore Career Technical Center will expose students to a variety of careers in agriculture, botany, and culinary professions. Food grown in the Harrison indoor and outdoor gardens will be donated to Lakewood City School’s foodservice department and used in school meals.
Marion City Schools ($40,000)
Marion City Schools will provide a broad range of educational activities to PreK-8 students in the district centered on local agriculture. Students will learn how to grow and prepare a variety of fresh produce in their classrooms using “Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons” lesson plans developed by Ohio State Extension. Elementary and middle school students will visit the district’s farm at Harding High School throughout the year to broaden their knowledge and learn about the agricultural education pathway the district offers. Marion City Schools also will develop a “Bring the Farm to You” program series in which local agricultural producers will visit classrooms for students to learn about other food production opportunities such as maple sugaring and beekeeping. Books on farming, gardening, food, and nutrition will be purchased for schools to provide literacy opportunities centered on farm to school topics.
Portsmouth West High School, Washington Nile Local School District ($23,700)
Portsmouth West High School will develop a “Plant Positivity” program centered on accessible indoor and outdoor growing activities led by students. Students will gain knowledge and expertise in growing through agricultural science courses using hydroponic grow towers. With the mentorship of a local community gardener, students will also learn to grow and manage an outdoor community garden space that is accessible to local residents. They will be able to share their knowledge of growing and gardening with local community members as well as provide fresh, local produce items to be used in school meals.
Cleveland Child Care ($9,360)
Cleveland Child Care’s “Blossoming Minds, A Garden for Growth” initiative seeks to make their garden space a living classroom for children. Fruit trees and a small grape vineyard will expand the selection of fresh produce children will learn to grow and eat in meals supported by the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The purchase of pedal powered tricycle tractors alongside other farming-based play materials and partnership with a local farmer in a chick hatching project will expose children to agricultural experiences at an early age.
West Branch Local Schools ($40,000)
Using three acres of vacant land, West Branch Local Schools will expand its farm to table work-based learning program by expanding its produce growing capacity and adding an animal husbandry component. Students will be the drivers of this innovative program gaining firsthand knowledge of livestock management along with the financial aspects of running a sustainable agricultural enterprise such as developing budgets, running cost analysis, and recording keeping. Local community partners such as the Heritage Cooperative, Sharp Farms, and Homewood Feed will provide guidance for students. Food grown and raised by students will be integrated into the district’s meal program, providing all students access to fresh, nutritious, local foods.
Joseph Badger Schools ($16,005)
To support student learning in STEM-based fields, Joseph Badger will introduce two new course offerings for high school students – Botany and Food and Nutrition. Hydroponic growing will be incorporated into both courses, giving students year-round opportunities for hands on growing. Students will earn industry recognized credentials in hydroponics (Botany) and food safety (Food and Nutrition). The foodservice department will also participate in the hydroponic growing, using fresh leafy greens and herbs in new, fresh recipes for student meals.
Springfield Local School District ($10,955)
The foodservice department at Springfield Local Schools will purchase hydroponic grow towers for schools throughout the district. The grow towers will be utilized by district teachers to promote hands-on learning for students with the support of a hydroponics curriculum developed to integrate science, math, and engineering concepts. Garden club students will work directly with foodservice staff to provide additional support in the growing of produce and maintenance of the district’s hydroponic gardens. Student-harvested produce will be used by foodservice staff to develop new, fresh menu items for students to enjoy.
Cleveland Metropolitan School District ($20,000)
Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) will purchase hydroponic grow towers to support the student-centered learning of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) concepts throughout the school year. FoodCorps members at CMSD schools will lead grow tower lessons and activities as well as maintain the hydroponic systems. Leafy greens and other produce grown will be used directly in student meals by being featured on fruit and vegetable bars that are offered to all CMSD students. FoodCorps members will be present during mealtimes to encourage students to taste and try the fresh fruits and vegetables.
Southwest Licking School District ($18,500)
Southwest Licking will build their current Farm to Cafeteria program by expanding its capacity for students to learn about and grow fresh produce through the Southwest Licking Agricultural Program. The district will expand its current food forest by planting and cultivating additional produce items that will be directly used to nourish students as part of their meal program. Hydroponic grow towers will provide growing opportunities for middle school students to participate in growing activities throughout the winter. During the summer months when the food forest is flourishing, the district will host two camps to teach students food production, harvesting, and cooking techniques using fresh produce.
Last Modified: 8/6/2024 11:11:05 AM