Yesterday kicked off the first day of our brand new SONYC urban farming and ecological stewardship after school program! With support from NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development and in collaboration with the Urban Academy of Arts & Letters in Clinton Hill Brooklyn, City Growers is offering a year-long opportunity for 30 students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade to engage in hands-on, inquiry-based activities on the farm, in their classrooms, and around their city.
Day 1 of the 10-month after school program was inspiring! Students harvested, prepared, and tried — many for the first time — kale, peppers, shiso leaves, ground cherries, and more. As parents toured the farm alongside their children, many commented in disbelief, “They’re going to learn all this before I do!” And that is exactly our hope: to allow the next generation of environmental stewards, food activists, and informed citizens to explore, inquire, investigate… and innovate!
Throughout the school year, students will spend two days a week on the farm building, farming, cooking, planning, reflecting; two days a week in their classroom researching; and Fridays afield: from Coney Island to Solar1 to Riverpark Farm — anywhere there is nature, sustainability, and/or innovation in action. We can’t wait to see where their curiosity takes them!