Outreach and giving back to the community has been just as important to me as taking exams, being productive in the work environment, and accumulating accreditations. Others workforce members have also shared with me how enlightening it has been for them to regularly volunteer with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Engineers without Borders. One of my most recent forays into outreach was with the Cole Arts & Science Academy (CASA) in Denver, Colorado (http://www.coleacademydenver.org/).
The Colorado Department of Education passed the Innovation Schools Act of 2008 (http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdegen/SB130.htm) with the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of education partly by "...supporting greater school autonomy and flexibility in academic and operational decision-making." CASA is one of five Denver Public Schools whose proposals for the program have been approved, affording the school greater autonomy in decision-making, budget control, hiring, and the ability to efficiently implement innovations with direct impact on student academic achievement.
In an effort to promote arts and science education, CASA has implemented a weekly arts and science infusion program through which students may elect a course of study and pursue inquiry-based thinking on a specific topic for eight sessions. By designing and facilitating an infusion class titled Urban Gardening Extravaganza, faculty member Ms. Lindsey Hall and I have used a three-year effort to revitalize a local Denver Urban Garden (i.e., Mitchell Garden) as an instructional tool for a group of students ranging from 4th to 8th grade who are interested in gardening.
We have introduced fundamental concepts of agriculture and science that incorporates hands-on activities, planting seeds, upkeep, composting, and typical garden work. The culminating event of this infusion class will include a student-led presentation of learned concepts to other CASA students. We have begun to coordinate efforts on a second project that will involve designing and constructing an indoor Greenhouse at CASA.
Do you have a favorite organization you volunteer for, or are you looking for a program that's a good fit for you?
Related articles
- What is an urban garden and how does it benefit the community? (greenanswers.com)
Comments
What a great way to get involved. I am sure that it is gratifying to not only see the work benefit the students but have the actual tangible (edible) benefits at the end of the growing season.
Great post, Cory! It would be wonderful if more states had initiatives like the Innovation Schools Act. It can only benefit us in the end.