The Connection is Growing: Plant and Plant!

How would you like it if your students were able to grow food, conduct horticultural experiments, and share their lessons and experiences with students, both here and abroad?

The Growing Connection is a grassroots project developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Participating schools and community gardens grow fruits and vegetables in an EarthBox system. The advantages of using the EarthBox are many. The students can grow a garden just about any place: parking lots, classrooms, or even a rooftop, as long as there is access to sunlight.

The EarthBox is designed to conserve water and it’s accompanied with a curriculum that will excite students and engage them in hands-on activities. Your students will become directly engaged in the fight against hunger and obesity by growing and eating fresh vegetables, and discussing the food growing process with their peers in other countries.

How to apply? Contact wolfram@collectiveroots.org. Middle schools interested in participating in the Growing Connection project should contact Amy McMillen, Program Coordinator at the Food and Agriculture organization at 202-653-2458 or 202- 294-5945 (cell) or Amy.McMillen@fao.org for more information or to request an application.

There are 14 schools and community groups who are already part of the program, such as PS 144, PS 82, PS 10, PS 41, PS 257, Croton-Harmon HS, Drew Hamilton Learning Center, Lycee Francais de New York, MS 206B, School of the Future, The Spencer school, United nations International school and others.