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The AmeriCorps members with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) AmeriCorps Farm to School Program are dedicated to serving communities throughout the state by increasing access to fresh, healthy foods in schools and providing nutrition education to students. Below are excerpts of recent service reflections from Farm to School AmeriCorps members as their service nears completion, with links to read individual full reflections.
Anna Kopf - serving at Howard Suamico School District
This summer, we are giving the families of our Here We Grow students the option to come back later in the summer to harvest the vegetables they have planted and taken care of. That way we are giving back to the community and the kids can see their plants come to fruition. The vegetables that are left over after the family harvest will go to school nutrition to use for meals and possibly be donated to The Giving Tree, which is a nonprofit organization that gives back to our local community. (Read Full Reflection)
Emily Scott - serving at Rooted
I am currently only a handful of weeks away from finishing my second service year, which will also be my last service year, and there is so much to reflect upon and be grateful for. …Throughout this journey of learning and sourcing this confidence in my time as a Farm to School Member, I built great relationships with those around me and I found my life passion. I’m excited to move forward and work with some of those who I built great relationships with, and to expand my passion further through opening my own business. But all of this excitement doesn’t come without an immense gratitude for the time that I spent with AmeriCorps Farm to School. (Read Full Reflection)
Grace Bolwerk - serving at Ashwaubenon School District
I recently coordinated a lesson in which two local farmers came to speak to first grade students about farming and honey bees. As the curriculum director of the school district expressed to me, it’s one thing to read a book about honey bees; bringing live honey bees for the students to see and hear buzzing while learning about them is something that will stick with them! The farmers also encouraged the kids to come up and dig their fingers into a bucket of dirt to sift for compost worms. This sensory experience will no doubt help them remember that the tiny “red wigglers” are best for breaking down materials to make healthy soil. (Read Full Reflection)
Inez Dufresne - serving at Monona Grove School District
We wanted to do a snack with them using something from our Winnequah School Garden, so we chose herbs as they were the one thing alongside lettuce that was actually thriving. We made three different types of cream cheese, each with a different herb in it: cilantro/coriander seed, chives, dill. When doing the taste test we had kids smell each herb, and then guess which cream cheese had which one in it. After smelling and looking at the different cream cheese, the kids tasted and refined their guesses…not only did we do the taste test but we also were able to take the kids out into the garden to see the herbs growing. They were so excited to smell, taste, and feel the plants and a bunch of them got way deep into the raspberry bushes. I realized, from facilitating this activity in both schools, the importance of leading kids towards engagement and exploration without controlling too much of the outcome. (Read Full Reflection)
Jennifer Shanks - serving at Hayward Community School District
Visiting the school garden in mid-summer is like a deep, restorative breath after months of planning, re-building, obtaining supplies, planting, watering, and weeding. As excited as I was to take on the task of rebuilding the Hayward Intermediate School Garden and educating students in the space, I was also quite nervous. The extent of my gardening experience prior to serving as a Farm to School educator included growing various herbs, kale, and lettuce in a 3x6 raised bed and in containers at my family home over a few summers…Nevertheless, I was comforted by the fact that as a garden educator, you can (and should) learn with your students. And boy, have I ever! … During my service with the AmeriCorps Farm to School program, I learned so much about gardening, the importance of trusting the process, and about myself. I gained confidence in my ability to nurture life in the form of student learning and of growing garden vegetables. (Read Full Reflection)
Julie Severance - serving at Ithaca School District
Miss Annette has retired! After a very successful and vibrant career as the Food Service Director at Ithaca School District, Annette will be pursuing other interests and continuing her other 79 side jobs! I have had the good fortune to work with Annette for the last two years in my capacity as the Farm to School Specialist at Ithaca…I approached her mid- year and expressed my interest in taking over her role when the time came. I have now been hired as the Food Service Director at Ithaca and will start my job in mid- August. I am indebted to Annette for her wisdom, kindness, patience and friendship. I am thrilled that I get to work in this school district I love. I will be able to continue many of the initiatives Annette and I worked on for Farm to School. Most importantly, I will be cooking nutritious, delicious meals for the students and staff everyday. (Read Full Reflection)
Kori Blumer- serving at Monona Grove School District
Being an AmeriCorps Farm to School member was just what I needed to advance my skills in nutrition education, working with children, better understand school systems, increase my resources and sense of community, and push myself outside of my comfort zone with garden and agriculture opportunities. I have loved my experience because it allows me to be creative, be a stronger leader, be flexible, show my passion to others, and have a change in schedule on a weekly basis. I enjoy those things because it challenges me and excites me. I feel like I am making an impact on children and in the school district. (Read Full Reflection)
Lindsay Larson - serving at Bayfield School District
As I sit here and ponder how I could put into words my experience with AmeriCorps Farm to School these last two years (and specifically the last few months), I am filled with gratitude. Previous to working with children in the garden, I had just worked in the garden. Though my love for plants, nature, and growing food continually became stronger, after some time, there seemed to be something missing……I have been incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve through AmeriCorps and now that my term is coming to a close in nearly a month, I have taken the next steps to continue this work in my community as a full-time garden and nutrition educator with UW-Extension. Without this experience, I don’t think I would have ever discovered my passion of working with children outdoors. I am looking forward to what is to come on this journey and owe it all to my time spent with Farm to School. (Read Full Reflection)
Lori Adrihan - serving at Shell Lake School District
I had a wonderful school year; serving a second term really helped me bond with the students and get to see their excitement as they harvested their produce in the garden. As the 3rd quarter of my second service year comes to a close, I feel a sense of accomplishment. One of my favorite memories is Mrs. Skinner's 3rd grade class. They planted potatoes as 2nd graders and harvested them as 3rd graders. They harvested a 4lb. potato that they named Braydena Potato and she became part of their classroom. This spring a new class of 2nd graders planted Braydena in the garden and we are so excited to see if we can harvest a potato bigger than 4lbs. (Read Full Reflection)
Michelle Lee Huber - serving at Rooted
This last season of Farm to School has been full of delightful moments…...One of my greatest takeaways from this year of service is the importance of play and connection in our lives, not just in childhood but throughout our lives. Getting to spend this year working with students in outdoor spaces and focusing on plants and food has awakened a deeper capacity for wonder and play in me, and I hope to continue cultivating this and sharing the joy of my lessons with others going forward. (Read Full Reflection)
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