Bolton students present proposals for how best to use garden project grant money

February 29, 2024 · 0 Comments

Humberview Secondary School gets $3,975 to improve vegetable garden

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Students at a Bolton high school recently completed a unique project.

Last year, Caledon public school students, with the help of staff, volunteers, community partners, and their trustee Stan Cameron, planted vegetable gardens on their school grounds.

It was a successful project, with teachers touting its educational benefits, and it will be continuing this year.

On behalf of Humberview Secondary School and the team working on the garden there, Cameron, along with Albion Hills Community Farm manager Karen Hutchinson and Peel District School Board (PDSB) outdoor education specialist Sabrina Zito-Insalaco, applied for a $3,975 grant from the Whole Kids Foundation.

The Whole Kids Foundation is an U.S.-based non-profit dedicated to improving children’s health and wellness through their nutrition.

The grant application was successful, and Humberview Secondary School will be able to put the grant money towards improving their garden.

When it came time to decide how best to use the money, Humberview’s Curricular Head of Science Andrew Hagen thought there was no better place to go than his Grade 11 environmental science students.

Hagen had his students form groups and research and create detailed garden plans and proposals about how the grant should be used. He then had students present their plans and proposals to himself, Cameron, Hutchinson, Zito-Insalaco, and Humberview’s principal and vice-principal.

Cameron said the presentations were amazing, and that he and his colleagues were very impressed with the work done by students. He said the plans and proposals were well-researched and presented.

“We saw this as an incredible pedagogical link to so many lessons: math calculations, deep-dive research, fact-finding, costing estimates, understanding plant growth, gardening aesthetics, soil additives, and so much more,” said Cameron.

He said Hagen has been a champion of the school vegetable garden project.

Cameron explained the garden project team will be recommending ideas from each student group’s presentation. He said the money will be put to very good use thanks to the students.

“In my role I can honestly say there is no greater feeling than spending a full class learning what students have researched and presented for consideration,” said Cameron.

Cameron wanted to express his thanks to Hagen, Hagen’s students, Humberview principal John Colton, Humberview Vice Principal Ranbir Singh, and everyone who has worked on the vegetable garden project across Caledon.