Local collaboration will provide classroom activities
Dover
Foxcroft -- While it might be difficult to think about gardening and
farming in February, a group of area volunteers are doing just that as
they plan this year’s GrowME program being offered to K-3 teachers and
schools in the Piscataquis County area. The program is the result of
collaboration between Valley Grange, PCSWCD (Piscataquis County Soil and
Water Conservation District) and UMaine Piscataquis County Extension.
The
program aims to utilize local volunteers who will work with teachers to
schedule an agricultural activity in their classrooms during Maine
Agriculture Week (March 18-33). Joanna Tarrazi, Executive Director of
PCSWCD is particularly excited over the “hands on” aspect of the
activities. “Thanks to our rural nature in Piscataquis County, we don’t
have the ‘nature deficit’ that some more urban areas experience,” she
said. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be offering our kids an
opportunity to involve all their senses and get some hands on learning.”
Walter
Boomsma, program director for Valley Grange agrees. His favorite part
is visiting second graders at PCES to make butter. “We have fun and the
kids almost don’t realize they are learning--some have even asked for
instructions and then made butter at home as a family activity.”
Volunteers will also offer seed planting activities and create animal
graphs. “We also spend some time just talking with the kids—many have
chickens and gardens and it’s fun to share experiences.”
Boomsma
notes that the program is expanding this year to include schools in
Dexter, but there should be no shortage of volunteers and resources
thanks to the collaboration. “We’ve got master gardeners and farmers
available through Extension Programs and PCSWCD includes partners and
resources that are committed to good stewardship. Our goal is to keep
this informal, local, and a true partnership between our schools,
teachers, and volunteers. It’s not so much that we have a program to
offer—it’s more about working together to make good use of our
resources.
Our volunteers will have the sort of agricultural experience and
background to be especially relevant to students while providing insight
into the importance of agriculture in our area.”
Those interested in volunteering are invited to a meeting on February 19th at 3 PM at PCSWCD in Dover Foxcroft where guidelines for volunteers and activity materials will be reviewed.
This
year’s offer to local schools is for a GrowME volunteer to visit for
about 20 minutes and work with students on a simple, grade appropriate
activity. Teachers and administrators who are interested need only
furnish contact information: teacher’s name-email address and grade.
Interested teachers and volunteers may email grange@boomsmaonline.com or call Joanna Tarrazi at PCSWCD, 564-2321. Additional information is also available at http://growmehelp.wordpress.com.
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