Community Collaboration Supports Hands-On Learning
Students at Guardian Angels participated in a planting day in May.
Guardian Angels Catholic School in Chaska partnered with SHIP
to start a school-based agriculture program for their students in grades four
through eight. School staff and
leadership identified the need to teach students more about nutrition and where
food comes from, and they began plans to incorporate gardening into the science
curriculum. The goal is for students to learn about agriculture and nutrition,
cultivate fresh produce, and try new vegetables for years to come.
Elizabeth Cook, a science teacher at Guardian Angels,
spearheaded the project. The students
actively participated in the planning process as part of their science classes,
and nearly 100 students participated in planting the garden. Elizabeth said, “[They]
have worked hard to plan and understand these gardens and are excited to see
them start to grow. Many have already signed up to take care of them with their
families over the summer and will be in charge of watering, weeding and
harvesting for the season.”
The Carver-Scott Extension Master Gardeners played a huge
role in making planting day a success. Bob Strawn, a Master Gardener, taught a
short lesson on gardening and the importance of pollinators. Bob hoped to
“spark their interest” about their vital role in the food system before the
students planted the garden. Students in the older grades also shared their
knowledge about gardening by assisting the younger students with the planting.
Students from the YouthBuild Program created custom made
garden beds for Guardian Angels. YouthBuild students learn construction skills
through instruction and hands-on learning, and they donated their time and
energy to make this project come to life. YouthBuild built five garden beds,
one for each grade level, so the planting and harvesting could be specific to
each grade’s science curriculum. Guardian Angels will also create an outdoor
classroom with benches and a chalk board to further facilitate hands-on
learning activities. During the summer, students and their families will
volunteer to care for the gardens for a week at a time. They will water, weed,
harvest, and eat the produce. When students return to school in the fall, the
remaining harvest will be shared with the students who planned and planted the
garden.
Creating the garden was a community effort made possible by
partnerships among Guardian Angels, Carver-Scott Extension Master Gardeners,
the YouthBuild Program at Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288, parent
volunteers, and Carver County Public Health.
This summer, the Chaska Downtown and Bongards Farmers
Markets will have the Power of Produce (PoP) Club for children ages 4 to 12
years. The PoP Club is an incentive program designed to engage children at
farmers markets and empower them to make healthy choices. Each week, children
receive a $2 token to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. The program is FREE
to participate.
The Chaska Downtown Farmers Market starts on June 28 and is
open every Wednesday from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. The market is located at City Square
Park.
The Bongards Market starts on June 7 and is open every
Wednesday from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. The market is located at the intersection of
Highway 212 and County Road 51 in Norwood Young America.
See you at the market!
Mackenthun’s Fine Foods (Mackenthun’s) is a full-service
supermarket based in central Carver County. In 2015, Mackenthun’s hired an
in-store dietitian to further their mission of bringing health and wellness to
their customers and employees. Today, the dietitian leads Mackenthun’s employee
wellness initiative, Health to the Macks.
In March 2017, Mackenthun’s completed a remodel of the
employee break room to make it more functional and aesthetically pleasing to
employees. Mackenthun’s employee wellness committee and the management and
repair teams sketched out changes for the break room. Internal resources and
support from the SHIP grant made the changes possible. Highlights of
Mackenthun’s break room remodel include:
- Removal of pop
machines
- Addition of new
refrigerator to store lunches/snacks and a small refrigerator for bottled water
- New countertop
and cabinets for additional storage and larger food prep area
- A lighter, more
calming paint color on the walls
- Addition of three
windows to allow natural light to shine into the break room
The worksite break room is a place for employees to relax
and eat a meal during their work day or shift. Making the break room work for
the employees is an often overlooked strategy to build a positive workplace
culture, but it can have a big impact on improving morale and productivity.
Additionally, research shows that employees eat healthier when they bring their
meals or snacks from home.
Alyson Pulvermacher, the store’s dietitian comments on the remodel,
“Our break room has truly transformed into a safe, function, and comfortable
space for all employees to enjoy.” Overall employee response has been positive
and management has noticed more employees are using the break room since the
remodel was completed.
Free Summer Food
Program
This summer, children 18 years and under can get a free bag lunch at
Riverview Terrace Park. The program runs June 12 through August 25 (no food
July 3 and 4), Monday through Friday. Food is served at 12:30 p.m. and is first
come-first serve. Children do not need to be a resident of Riverview Terrace to
receive free lunch.
The Summer Food Program is a partnership
between Eastern Carver County Schools Community Education, Nutrition Services,
Love, Inc. of Eastern Carver County, and Hunger Impact.
Car Seat Inspection Event
Attend this FREE event to have your booster or car seat installation checked.
Thursday, July 6 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Chaska Fire Station.
Certified car seat technicians will teach you how to install and use your child’s car seat(s) correctly. There is no charge for a car seat inspection, but appointments are required. Click here to schedule an appointment and for additional details.
To be added to the distribution list please email
cries@co.carver.mn.us
Back to Top
|
