IGI organizes Farm to School Summer Institute for Vineyard Teachers August 11th-13th

From August 11th-13th, IGI will host a Farm to School Summer Institute for Teachers, a 3-day workshop for educators on Martha’s Vineyard interested in incorporating curriculum-tied food, farm and school garden based programs into their classes.

The Institute will run from 9am-4pm, there is no fee for Vineyard teachers, and PDPs will be granted.

Over three engaging and interactive days, participants will:
• Develop project ideas on food and agriculture topics that promote service learning and link to the academic curriculum;
• Receive a set of practical, engaging lesson plans generated during the workshop;
• Experience activities that teach about the benefits of locally-grown food;
• Engage in hands-on gardening practices suited for school gardens;
• Prepare and taste classroom-friendly recipes using local farm products;
• Discuss ways to develop composting programs and solar greenhouses;
• Visit local farms and learn about existing opportunities for farm visits and curriculum-tied field trips;
• Strengthen partnerships with community and farming organizations and resources;
• Celebrate the beauty, learning, health and joy to be found in school gardens and local food from our local family farms.

Deb Habib, founder and director of non-profit educational farm Seeds of Solidarity in Orange, Massachusetts, will lead two days of the Institute. Seeds of Solidarity has established seven garden and greenhouse projects with schools in their region and runs a popular after-school program for teenagers. Farm educator Melinda DeFeo of the FARM Institute and Laurie Halt, Curriculum Coordinator at the Superintendant’s Office, will also lead sessions during the three-day workshop.

Spaces are limited. For more information or to reserve a place in the Summer Institute, please contact Noli Taylor of Island Grown Initiative at 508-645-9557 or noli@islandgrown.org. You can also see our website for more information, www.islandgrown.org.

We hope you can join us!