Media Contact: Victoria Holmes, Communications Specialist: (202) 372-5415
(Washington, DC) – The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has announced grant awards of $33,393.77 for the District’s Farm Field Trip program, a new initiative of the DC Healthy Schools Act. The Farm Field Trip program awards funding to schools to increase their capacity to participate in farm field trips as part of an integrated farm to school program. Twenty-three public schools and public charter schools will receive the funding during School Year 2014-2015.
“The Farm Field Trip program enables our schools to provide students with firsthand experience of where food comes from, while developing critical skills and meeting age-appropriate curriculum standards,” said State Superintendent Jesús Aguirre. “These field trips help encourage students to make healthier food choices at school and at home. By doing so, we are investing in the preservation of our communities.”
DC Farm Field Trip grants help schools visit local farms and conduct farm to school education in the classroom, cafeteria and garden. Students learn about nutrition, pollination and pest control, and cultural and historical crops. The field trips give students firsthand experience on making the connection to growing and eating healthy, fresh food. Grant funds will also be used to support instruction after the farm field trips: teachers will conduct follow-up lessons on growing food, preparing new recipes using local ingredients, and processing of seasonal items for winter consumption.
The 23 grantees are:
Ward 1:
- Columbia Heights Education Campus
- DC Bilingual Public Charter School
- Creative Minds International Public Charter School
- Latin American Youth Center Career Academy Public Charter School
- Bancroft Elementary School
Ward 3:
- Eaton Elementary School
Ward 4:
- Barnard Elementary School
- Truesdell Elementary School
- Powell Elementary School
- EL Haynes Elementary Public Charter School
- EL Haynes High School Public Charter School
- Paul International High School Public Charter School
- LAMB Public Charter School
- Lafayette Elementary School
Ward 5:
- Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School
Ward 6:
- Tyler Elementary School
- Watkins Elementary School
- Two Rivers Public Charter School
- School Within School @ Goding
- Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan
Ward 8:
- Excel Public Charter School
- Ingenuity Prep Public Charter School
- Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School
For more information about the Farm to School Program, visit osse.dc.gov.
About the Office of the State Superintendent of Education
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the State Education Agency for the District of Columbia charged with raising the quality of education for all DC residents. OSSE serves as the District’s liaison to the U.S. Department of Education and works closely with the District’s traditional and public charter schools. For more information about OSSE, visit our website: osse.dc.gov.