Creating Life to Sustain Life JA Fair School is Putting ‘Environmental’ into EAST m More than 700 students will walk the halls of JA Fair High School in southwest Little Rock every year. Over 100 of these students will have the opportunity to join the Education Accelerated by Service and Technology (EAST) program. EAST uses project-based learning and service to give students the opportunity to solve the real world problems identified in their community. Located in a high poverty area of Little Rock, JA Fair EAST students use modern agriculture and environmental sciences to provide local food to their community. The EAST gardening program at JA Fair began three years ago as an effort to incorporate environmental science into the curriculum. There were only 40 kids involved the first year; today, the EAST program has over 100 students enrolled and many on a waiting list. Students come from all over Little Rock to plant sale, a greens festival and a sunflower mailing. “We want to build positive relationships with the community,” said Coach Dennis Troutman, the instructor for the EAST environmental program. In 2018, the plant sale supplied 10,000 plants to churches, community gardens and soup kitchens across central Arkansas. Plants are grown in the greenhouse by students throughout the year and sold into the community for a discounted rate. “I have kids that work in agriculture now because of this program.” –Dennis Troutman attend school here, but most are from the southwest area of Little Rock. The gardening program’s mission is to give back to the community through the service of providing food. The students host three major community service projects throughout the year: an annual The greens festival is held annually the Thursday before Thanksgiving. From sidewalk to sidewalk, the garden in the front of the school is planted in collard, mustard and spinach greens. The students will plant and harvest the greens, then sell them at a large event before Thanksgiving break. “We get to provide food for the community by simply planting vegetables – that is so exciting,” said Nathan Collins, a senior at JA Fair. The sunflower mailing is a new project where students mail sunflower seeds, harvested from their garden, around the country. It’s like spreading “sunshine from Arkansas,” said Coach Troutman. JA Fair will also be participating ARKANSAS GROWN 23
24 Publizr Home