Linden-McKinley STEM Academy’s Agriculture Pathway Program helps young people develop academically by ensuring they are ready for life after high school.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – This story is part of a 10TV series about the places we call home. “In Focus” tells stories from the perspective of the people who live there. Stories beyond the “flashlights” often seen when we talk about specific neighborhoods in central Ohio.
Students from the Linden community take practical learning to another level.
As part of the Linden-McKinley STEM Academy’s Agriculture Pathway Program, students spend their class time working in a community garden on the corner of E. 25th Avenue and Medina Avenue. The aim is to develop young people academically through experiential learning and to ensure they are ready for life after high school.
Instructor Eric Valentine started the program about three years ago. He said they started with few resources, but now they are expanding. The Columbus Department of Neighborhoods recently invested $ 50,000 in the program. Funding will help provide new faucets, irrigation, electricity and fences for the gardens.
“We had to think outside the box and the bigger picture and think about how we could bring this curriculum to life for students,” said Valentine. “After completing the program, they will be able to drive forklifts, aerial work platforms, scissor lifts and certify pesticides. New for the next school year … is the drone certification so that our students have this too. [They’re] Things our students can take from our school and program and go straight to an employer and get a job, or they can go straight to the college path and be ready there too. “
However, if you ask students, they will tell you – they are growing more than academically; they also grow closer to the community.
“I really enjoy doing it because I am genuinely interested in earthly things. Our planet is really bad when it comes to pollution and I just hope I make a difference by giving back to the community, ”said Kenneth Pullien, Junior at Linden-McKinley STEM Academy. “I’ll go here next year, so I’ll be investing in it next year too. I’m just really happy to be a part of something.”
Pullien said one of the most important things the program taught him is the power of patience.
“It’s about patience – not trying to rush it and rush and get ready, you know? I wasn’t great when I started either. I’m still studying as we speak, but I’m starting to.” find more enjoyment in things like that. It just gives me time to think about things, “said Pullien.
Christine Weatherholtz is the curriculum coordinator for the Columbus City Schools. According to Weatherholtz, 64 CCS schools are now participating in the community garden initiative.
“Our director, Columbus City Schools Food Service, did some research on farm-to-school nationally and really believed that our children should have the opportunity to participate in this learning too, with so many careers coming with it are connected, “she said.
According to Weatherholtz, not only do students learn where their food comes from, but they can also learn science and math in innovative ways.
“Experience-based learning, hands-on learning is what really encourages and motivates our children of all ages to learn for a lifetime,” she said. “We have seen that there is great motivation for our children to learn and we hope to continue and with our great partners across the city we will.”
Valentine said not only are the students invested in the program, but also the members of the Linden community.
“You know what’s going on here. You protect this soil. You protect what is going on here. When they see us working out here, they know who you are. They talk. They want to know what you’re doing out here, ”said Valentin.
Valentine said that after the students finish their research in the garden, the food goes back to the community.
“We are in a food desert here in Linden,” he said. “Every Thursday we are out here harvesting and by noon everything is usually gone. Anything that is not gone goes to Saint Stephen’s meeting house and it goes straight back to the church. “
For students like Kenneth Pullien, he hopes the garden will send an important message.
“You can see that there are people out here who are ready to give and help and be there for someone,” he said. “This is our message, which is that we are all together. Nobody is alone in this.”
To learn more about the program, click here.
