P.L.A.N.T.
Location
Room A113
Document Type
Presentation
Type
Social Entrepreneurship (SocEnt)
Start Date
11-4-2018 11:15 AM
Abstract
Offering healthy and affordable lunches at elementary schools is an issue that has been plaguing America for many years. Students, especially those from low income families face a choice of affordability and appeal. Non-nutritious foods often look nicer, have more appealing packaging, and cost less than their healthier alternatives. Furthermore, aside from money, these students and their families do not always have the time and/or the access to go shopping for nutritious foods. Fast foods are closer and more convenient after a long day of work. Many solutions, ranging from the addition of government policies to the actions of local community welfare groups, had been implemented. However, very few of these solutions have been successful. A solution that has been successful was the creation of vegetable gardens within the schools. The students would grow the vegetables in gardens themselves and then, once the vegetables were fully grown, they would take them home. Our solution is largely based on this concept of having gardens within the elementary school, but there are some changes. To begin, our garden would be targeted towards students in the Aurora area who are from low income families (i.e. students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch). Additionally, we would like to build a greenhouse, so that the garden could be available year-round. We would teach the students about gardening, such as watering techniques and the types of plants that are able to grow in certain environments. The goal is for the students to become deeply involved in the gardening and take initiative to eat healthy later on in their lives as well. Elementary school children are very impressionable and hopefully the pride they will feel after successfully growing and eating vegetables that they tended to from the beginning will always be associated with organic vegetables.
P.L.A.N.T.
Room A113
Offering healthy and affordable lunches at elementary schools is an issue that has been plaguing America for many years. Students, especially those from low income families face a choice of affordability and appeal. Non-nutritious foods often look nicer, have more appealing packaging, and cost less than their healthier alternatives. Furthermore, aside from money, these students and their families do not always have the time and/or the access to go shopping for nutritious foods. Fast foods are closer and more convenient after a long day of work. Many solutions, ranging from the addition of government policies to the actions of local community welfare groups, had been implemented. However, very few of these solutions have been successful. A solution that has been successful was the creation of vegetable gardens within the schools. The students would grow the vegetables in gardens themselves and then, once the vegetables were fully grown, they would take them home. Our solution is largely based on this concept of having gardens within the elementary school, but there are some changes. To begin, our garden would be targeted towards students in the Aurora area who are from low income families (i.e. students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch). Additionally, we would like to build a greenhouse, so that the garden could be available year-round. We would teach the students about gardening, such as watering techniques and the types of plants that are able to grow in certain environments. The goal is for the students to become deeply involved in the gardening and take initiative to eat healthy later on in their lives as well. Elementary school children are very impressionable and hopefully the pride they will feel after successfully growing and eating vegetables that they tended to from the beginning will always be associated with organic vegetables.