This awesome project is located in a community in Northern Manitoba. The community is about 600km north of Winnipeg. They started their gardening project in 2006 with a class of 14 grade 3/4 students. Each child was given a raised flower bed that was set up in the students own home. This project started with an incredibly devoted teacher who went and visited each student in turn, giving advice on growing vegetables and weeding.Giving advice and encouragement where needed. The children were able to grow their own vegetables and give them to their families to help them eat more healthily.
The school division has been amazingly supportive of the project at the Mel Johnson school and has helped in developing curriculum. Other schools in the division have also begun gardening projects. The school reported that they have noticed how the students have reacted well towards the gardens. They noticed that the project has touched all areas of curriculum and how it has helped the students who have difficulty with academics. It has helped raise the self-esteem of the students. The school now has a greenhouse, flower beds and fruit trees in the yard too.
Teacher representative, film maker and division representatives were invited to New York, where they gave a speech about the project to the United Nations.
The school has had a DVD documentary produced about the project. The DVD trailer can be viewed on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS99UQRdqX0 Please take the time to view the trailer to the film. The project has inspired many young people in the community and further afield too.
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