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~THIS is what we should B doing ,folks ...y aren't we ?
by Mark DeNicola.
Sometimes success comes from
years of planning, hard work, and dedication, while other times it just
seems to come from a simple willingness to act. For teacher Stephen
Ritz, what started as a simple project to plant fruits and vegetables
indoors definitely took the secondary route to success in what is now
known as The Green Bronx Machine.
Working at a troubled high school in New
York’s South Bronx district, Stephen one day received a box of daffodil
bulbs which he hid behind a radiator in his classroom. The steam
emitted from the radiator helped the bulbs to unexpectedly grow, and
also planted the seed in Stephen’s mind for a project centred around
growing and maintaining plants in a classroom setting.
Stephen then set out on a mission, and
in collaboration with his students embarked on a journey to beautify
their neighbourhood by transforming abandoned lots into landscaped
gardens to which the entire community could contribute. The group then
took to growing indoors, using vertical planting methods to transform
the school into a truly hands-on learning experience.
The Power In Hands-On Learning
We live in a society where the bulk of
the material taught to students in traditional education is founded in
theory and repetition. I think back upon the 17+ years I spent in school
and the amount of what I learned that I still know to this day is
minimal, but what I do remember for the most part was partnered with
hands-on learning. I remember the outreach projects I was a part of much
more than the calculus equations I temporarily memorized to help myself
get by in the course.
Stephen’s gardening project seems to be another example of the power in hands-on learning. As Stephen himself put it, “…attendance
has increased from 43% to 93%. Students come to school to take care of
their plants – they want to see them succeed.” In my opinion, hands-on learning makes education an experience,
something that not only tends to peak interest but also, when partnered
with traditional education, can build truly lasting knowledge.
Changing World Views
What makes Stephen’s story even more
remarkable is that he funded the initiative out of his own pocket.
Driven by his love for humanity, Stephen dedicated his work to raising
healthy children, something that he feels is much easier than attempting
to fix broken adults.
How we eat is so critical to our
development and well-being, and living in a society dominated by
nutrition-less processed foods, the value in fresh produce is being
lost. Rather than inundating kids and parents with dietary facts and
food scare tactics, Stephen believes that the key to shifting our diet
lies in being a part of the process of creating it.
“When kids learn about where their food comes from, it changes their world view… The ability to bring healthy, fresh food into schools and teach children that input equals output is absolutely spectacular.”
From Consumer To Producer
Now known as The Green Bronx Machine,
Stephen and his students have begun to sell their plants to major stores
in the community, partnering the produce with literature that builds
awareness of the power in growing.
Through this learning experience, each
student is given the tools to not only effectively garden but also to
transform their diet and the diets of friends, family, and loved ones.
I personally am very inspired by the
work of Stephen Ritz and love to see how much it has already evolved. To
learn more about this initiative I encourage you all to check out their
website, student run Facebook page, and Stephen’s Ted Talk.
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What cool ideas does this initiative
spark within you? What’s holding you back from doing them?
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