Project Description: 

CREW (Communities of Reflection, Engagement, and Wonder) is a weekly time on the Evergreen Campus during which K-5 students work in small groups across our campus. This spring, we will launch a service learning season of CREW in which CREWs will partner together on a common focus. Two of the CREWs will focus on Creation Care over the course of the season. The culminating project of the CREWs will be partnering with Friends of GR Parks and planting trees on our new preschool playground. In the weeks leading up to the planting, the CREWs will learn about why Creation Care is an act of service, how the planting of trees makes a difference in an area, and what is needed to sustain the life of newly planted trees.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:

Our hope is that students would create an ability to recognize the potential of a space, looking for areas to add environmental heroes like trees and native perennials.

Partners:

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks

Teachers:

Emily Kouri, Community Time/Small Group, Science focus, K-5th; Katie Faber, Community Time/Small Group, Science focus, K-5th

Students:

28

Funder:

The Baldwin Foundation

Showcase Video: (Found on YouTube page)

Project Description: 

Over the course of 7 Fridays, our multi-age service learning team of 28 students modeled the life cycle of fruit trees, explored the benefits and opportunities related to composting, created four vermicompost bins/buckets, planted 9 fruit trees, created orchard-related cards for the houses neighboring our school/orchard, and shared out learning/activities with the rest of the school.

Additionally, a select few students helped mulch and set up timed watering implements for summer watering. Using an outdoor spigot, a timer, hose, and perforated watering hoses, these new trees will receive their approx. 10 gallons a week through the hot summer months. We considered watering bags but are using those, instead, for other trees planted with Friends of GR Parks around the campus. 

See some of our slides here: ±

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:

I’m hoping (and confident) that these small vermicompost bins spark a greater discussion about partnering with Organicycle. Additionally, I want to empower students to understand that you don’t need a lot of space to plant a fruit tree. I’ve used videos of my own house throughout the project. In my 0.10acre backyard, we keep chickens, maintain gardens of almost 100 different native perennials, and grow 9 different fruit trees…all while preserving some playspace for my children. I hope the students have been inspired by that! 

At school, we’re really looking forward to the first “harvest” of our micro-orchard. Students who have never eaten a piece of fruit directly off a tree are in for such a treat. I believe it will be a life-changing experience for some. 

Partners:

Friends of GR Parks, MSUE, Waste Deep Composting

Teachers:

Graham Schultze, John Park, Emily Kouri

Students:

28

Funder:

The Baldwin Foundation

Showcase Video:  https://youtu.be/W60xZiBC4pY?si=S_ttNx8WlPkHrclo