Burke County Georgia is a predominantly agricultural community. District leadership wants to celebrate that and seamlessly incorporate agriculture and garden-based educational opportunities into instructional time for all students. A FoodCorps member could play a vital role in not only assisting teachers with lesson plan ideas, but also in getting primary and elementary school students involved in STEAM-based learning at a younger age. This is an exciting time for a FoodCorps member to join!

The FoodCorps members will have their own classroom in which they can hold classes and it will also act as an office space.  Waynesboro Primary School and Blakeney Elementary School have built relationships with the staff and students that the FoodCorps members will help to continue. Teachers in each school are currently taking courses in STEAM education with a desire to incorporate those practices into their classrooms. Additionally, the two schools partner each year for educational garden-based events; the FoodCorps members will play a role in this programming. The outdoor garden beds at the primary school provide an ideal opportunity for students to get their hands dirty and learn exactly where our food comes from.  Both schools have hydroponic tower gardens in classrooms throughout the schools that the FoodCorps staff help facilitate in order for the teachers to be able to grow food in their classrooms.  This provides an opportunity for cafeteria taste tests using items grown by students as well as from local farmers.  With the assistance of a FoodCorps member, students can plan the gardens, plant the gardens, harvest the gardens and create Charlie Cart Lesson plans to use with the garden harvest. FoodCorps members can create a seamless transition from the classroom to outdoor space and provide teachers and students with the resources necessary to be successful. 

In collaboration with site partners, FoodCorps Georgia serves over a dozen schools, reaching more than 1000 students with hands-on experiences in gardening, nutrition, and food preparation. With a presence in a diverse set of environments, Service Members are impacting urban and rural communities across the state. There’s a place for everyone. Join FoodCorps to serve up change with a cohort of food justice leaders and a network of community-centered changemakers!