Students at The Grauer School, an independent school in Encinitas, recently transformed a robust harvest of organic fruits and vegetables from the school’s garden into an opportunity to practice science, sustainability and service. With more produce than the school could use, students donated the excess harvest totaling 130 lbs. to two local food banks, St. Andrew’s Food Pantry and the Community Resource Center (CRC) in Encinitas, according to a news release.
Seventh-grade students in the Life Science class harvested Korean White sweet potatoes, three varieties of carrots, potatoes, Butterbush Butternut squash, Opo squash and mixed peppers from raised beds at the school’s Luddy Campus. Students also collected sweet potato vines for The Grauer School’s compost bin, extending the sustainability lesson beyond harvesting food. The following day, 12th-grade students delivered the fresh produce to the two organizations.
“Our students learn so much more beyond the classroom by planting in our school garden and experiencing harvesting and sharing with others,” said Dana Abplanalp-Diggs, M.Ed., Head of School for The Grauer School, in the news release. “Through direct experience they learn about science and sustainability, and when they can donate to those in need it cultivates kindness and generosity that are so important among our student body.”
The Community Resource Center shared in a response to the donation in the news release, “We are always so appreciative of any fresh food we receive, and it means so much more when it comes from our neighbors.”
To learn more about The Grauer School, visit during the Open House, open to the public on Nov. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
