Seeding The Future | Fall 2021
With the new school year in full swing and schools providing in-person instruction, Sweet Water Foundation excitedly relaunched its Seeding The Future program this fall with nearby neighborhood schools. SWF has begun in-person and virtual programming and distributed soil, seedlings, journals, and seeds to bring their lessons to life. Read on to learn more about the 2021-2022 launch of Seeding the Future.
Seeding The Future is an Urban Ecology program engaging elementary students in hands-on, project-based learning experiences that follow the seed-to-table process and expose young learners to a wide range of academic disciplines and essential life skills (e.g., biology, math, gardening, nutrition, etc.). Seeding The Future was originally scheduled to launch in Spring 2020 at three neighborhood schools, all within 1 mile of The Commonwealth, but was paused due to the onset of COVID-19. In spring 2021, SWF delivered some virtual Seeding The Future programming, but was unable to visit the school or provide tours given continued restrictions on field lessons and in-person learning.
This school year, the Sweet Water team has already delivered onsite programming to 2nd grade students at Beasley Academic Center and launched a 5-part virtual series with 4th grade students at Barbara A. Sizemore Academy. Virtual lessons have also been scheduled with 7th and 8th grade Design and Science students at Seward Academy. Beyond traditional schools, SWF has been hosting a small group of homeschool students for hands-on learning and lessons each Wednesday during SWF’s Community Engagement days.
The impacts of COVID-19 continue to pose challenges as the school bus shortage has turned planned field lessons into virtual lessons. However, the Sweet Water team and the educators with whom we are collaborating are already planning for Spring 2022.
Equally important, Seeding The Future Program seeks to connect students’ families and their school community to The Commonwealth, a community asset that grows fresh food, delivers arts and culture programming, and provides safe and healing spaces in the neighborhood.
