École Bishop Savaryn School, Edmonton, AB
Grant term, 2023-2024
Who knew that salad-tasting parties could be so much fun? For the students at École Bishop Savaryn School tasting and eating salads has been one of the highlights of the spring.
Our school, located in North Edmonton, Alberta, is situated near fertile farmland; however, our students do not often have the opportunity to see how and where local food is grown. Bishop Savaryn is a small dual-track elementary school. There are 353 students at Bishop Savaryn school, most of whom are presently enrolled in the French Immersion Program. The student population is very diverse and includes a high number of English as Second Language students, some lower income families as well as new immigrant families.
The Dig In grant has had a profound impact on our elementary school. One of the biggest positive impacts was the purchase of a garden tower. The tower was purchased and set up in early March with small romaine lettuce plants. It was placed near the main office where it was visible to staff, students and parents. The initial reaction from staff and students was very positive. Students were filled with excitement and joy each time they passed near the garden tower. The romaine lettuce grew quickly and students were excited and surprised as they quickly noticed the plants growing and changing.
After the first month had passed, we started organizing salad-tasting parties for grade-level classes. Each group of students were brought to the garden tower for presentations on how the tower worked and to talk about the importance of growing your own food. Students were then invited to come and pick some of the lettuce that would be used for their class salad-tasting party. The reactions were very positive and the students were excited to prepare and taste their salads. In one of the classes, students and parents were very excited to share salads. Many students loved tasting the lettuce grown in the growing tower. Many asked if there was more after their portion was done. Every student in the class ate lettuce and some salad vegetables.
When offered some tomatoes for their salad, one student said, “I’m not sure if I will like them, but I’ll try some”.
One student shared that she didn’t just like salads; she loved them!
Everyone enjoyed the experience of sharing a healthy and nourishing meal with their classmates. Moreover, our salad tasting parties aligned perfectly with our new provincial Physical Education and Wellness Curriculum. One of the key organizing ideas in our new K-6 curriculum is: Healthy Eating: A lifetime of optimal well-being and physical wellness is supported by prioritizing nutrition and healthy eating. At each grade level, teachers were able to touch on some of the learning outcomes for their grade. For example, in grade one, the learning outcome is: Students can examine and connect a variety of foods to growth and development. Students were able to differentiate between food that is natural or processed (lettuce vs dressings). In addition, students were able to expand their food preferences by trying new foods (lettuce, cucumber, carrots, salad toppings, salad dressings, etc…).
Additionally, some of the grant funds were used to purchase two additional raised garden beds and soil for the front of the school. The garden beds were assembled and with the help of numerous students with small containers, we were able to fill the garden bed with soil without the use of a single shovel or wheelbarrow. Once the garden beds were set up, the gardening club was able to transplant some of the bedding plants we had started in late March including tomatoes, marigolds, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, zucchini, and cucumber seedlings. Students were also able to plant seeds for radishes, carrots, lettuce, corn and cucumbers.
The grade 4 students who were part of the gardening club, were actively involved in growing, transplanting, and learning about plant care. They were able to gain a deeper understanding of gardening and look forward to the fall when they can harvest some of the vegetables that were planted. With the help and partnership of the parents from the School Advisory Council, a schedule will be set up through the summer months to ensure that the plants and raised garden beds are being watered regularly. We look forward to fall and the harvest of our various vegetables.
Another positive aspect of the grant was the ability to provide a hands-on gardening activity for the entire school. Small compostable pots and soil were purchased for each student at Bishop Savaryn and Nasturtium flower seeds were donated by a staff member. Then, on Bishop Savaryn Faith Day, each student had the opportunity to plant a flower seed, water it and take it home to watch it grow.
Mme Tétreault, a grade 4 French Immersion teacher, applied for the Seed grant for our school. Her passion for gardening and teaching students the importance of growing your own food inspired the students. Mme Tétreault organized a weekly gardening club for grade 4 students. She also led class presentations for students from Kindergarten to grade 6 to explain the purpose of the garden tower, how it works, how to harvest food items from the tower and the importance of learning to grow your own food.
Our garden tower continues to grow romaine lettuce for future salad tasting parties and our raised garden beds are beginning to sprout new plants. We feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected as recipients of this year’s Dig In! Seed grant. Beyond its nutritional benefits, the program has cultivated values like patience, care, sustenance, and appreciation. It has gathered our community to experience the joy of growing and appreciating the food we have grown together.
