The Youth Farm serves as an outdoor classroom for Wingate Campus Schools and
other visiting students, providing a welcoming space for hands on and
interdisciplinary education. Classes on the farm engage students who struggle
with the methods and structure of classroom education, and specifically serves
to help those students who most need extra support to be engaged and interested
in school. On the Youth Farm students engage their brains and bodies in
completely different ways then indoor lessons.
Our programs include a year-round Go Green! class, year-round
Lunchtime Farm Club internship program, Physical Education Classes that utilize
the farm as a “gym,” and a Summer Youth Leaders program. Our staff works with teachers and administrators to engage more then 1,000 students to
participate in Youth Farm activities annually, via: farming, working at the
market, gym class, leading farm tours, scheduled Service Days, weekend Volunteer
Days and workshops, and more.
Go Green!
We facilitate a year-round Go Green! class for 30 students. Go
Green! is an elective class open to grades 9-12 at the High School for Public
Service and is composed of dynamic units on nutrition, food justice, media
advocacy, horticulture skills, and environmental sustainability. Students build
critical thinking and community organizing skills as well as comfort with farm
work and the skills to grow their own food. The curriculum was created by BK
Farmyards farmers and HSPS teachers in 2009, and Go Green! continues to be one of HSPS’s most popular
electives; so much so that some students take it twice. 159 HSPS students have
taken Go Green! so far.
Lunchtime Farm Club
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Our after school Farm Club and Lunch Time Farm Club is made up of a diverse
group high school students. This dynamic group meets weekly to work on food & health advocacy projects and on maintaining the farm. Students work independently during the week to motivate
more students to get involved in the farm and food justice and health activities, such as making free juice for students during lunch and cafeteria composting. All of the youth participating in Youth Farm activities receive ongoing training and mentoring from our Youth Coordinator and Co-Farm
Managers.
Physical Education classes
For the past two years, HSPS
physical education classes have utilized the farm and farm activities – from
bed digging to composting and planting – as a fun new way to get students
active and excited about staying fit. Students who do not complete the
mandatory physical education requirements for graduation can make up hours by
volunteering on the farm. In 2012, 20 students were able to satisfy graduation
requirements through farm work.
Summer Youth Leaders program
For the past
four years we have offered a paid youth leadership program to our students. Youth leaders are hired through an application and interview process, to work
20 hours a week for eight weeks in July and August. The program emphasizes job
training and leadership development through learning about urban agriculture. Summer Youth
Leaders receive job and leadership training through
many hours of hands-on farm work, and training in entrepreneurship, nutrition/cooking,
and community organizing. Students lead fieldwork activities for adult and
youth volunteers, lead farm tours, sell produce and assist market customers,
conduct cooking demonstrations at our farmers market, canvass the neighborhood
as part of market outreach, and survey market customers. Through all of these
activities and more these teens became food advocates within their community. Thanks to the Levitt Foundation for the sponsorship of this program!Farm-Based Learning for Youth All Over NYC
The Youth Farm hosts groups of all types and ages, and can design a basic tour or workshop on the farm to suit your group’s interests. We offer a sliding scale based on school type (Title 1, Public and Private) to be able to provide participatory learning opportunities to all. Examples of our Farm-Based Learning and Tours
- * 5 Senses Tour of the Youth Farm. Explore the Farm and healthy eating through taste!
- * Compost: Fixing a World of Waste! Learn how composting works, see the magic of compost and why it can help solve many environmental problems.
- * Team Building on the Farm. Grow trust, respect and bonding in your group or class through fun activities and games on the farm.
- * Urban Agriculture and Food Justice. Learn about sustainable agriculture in the city and how it relates to systematic inequalities in access to quality food and health issues.
Email Patricia (at) bkfarmyards (dot) com
