According to 4-H’er Timothy, the best part of the last 4-H Spring Gardening Camp was “drawing my garden and making friends.”
Youngsters from Enrico Fermi School 17 in the Rochester School District participated in five days of hands-on study with volunteers from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, School 17 and the Center for Youth: Earthworks program.
The youth gained hands-on experience by participating in garden-based learning activities in the school’s garden and greenhouse. The Monroe County 4-H volunteers led them through four days of projects and ended camp with an excursion to the Strong Museum of Play and the Butterfly Garden.
The camp was open to all students in School 17 in Class K-2. The camp arose out of a discussion between Rochester Youth Year VISTAs, Destiny Draggett and Yoenia Bernit, who are at CCE-Monroe and School 17 venues. VISTAs serve for one year at one location in the entire district with the aim of building capacities and increasing sustainability.
4-H educator Lori Koenick led a floor painting that taught students the difference between soil and dirt, how soil affects the success of gardens, and why it matters. 4-H’ers then created their own images from soil that was collected in the area. Nutritionist Iluminada Vilca talked about the importance of having plenty of “go food” in your diet and why it is important to limit “woah foods” or foods high in sugar and fat. The youth applied this knowledge in a practical matching game.
The 4-H’ers also ventured into the tall kid science room with seventh grade science teacher Ellie Coonce, who led an activity where they dissected and examined a tulip. Using microscopes, 4-H’ers looked at pollen from flowers and drew what they saw.
The youth also got to know the three sisters, designed their own garden beds and planted tomatoes, cucumbers, sunflowers and microgreens. Many could see sprouts on the last day of the camp.
