News Detail
D-E Gets Messy While Going Green
Contributed by Tasha Urbanowski, Sixth Grade Dean
D-E Composts! You may be wondering about the large green tumbler situated next to the exit gate by Schenck Auditorium. No, we haven't placed trash bins is plain sight; we are being green, not trashy!
While the partially completed planting bed by the Umpleby parking lot is a "mess" at the moment - which is such an anomaly on our beautiful, well-tended campus - there are two reasons this new garden bed is an intentional and good mess:
1. The DIG classes, with contribution from the Latin American Studies class, are engaging in project-based learning and cooperative problem-solving, using the garden bed as their primary classroom. They are exploring hands-on questions such as:
"Why is a right angle useful and how do I create one?"
"How can we make something level?"
"Why is erosion bad and how can we prevent it?"
"Why do we make raised beds and are our reasons the same as those of the ancient cultures we are studying?"
"How do our methods and tools differ from those cultures we are studying?"
"How are they the same and why?"
"How much work is really involved in producing food?"
Since the students use a discovery method much of the time, they will take more time over this project rather than being just told what to do. While this may be inefficient, the end-product of the bed is only part of our objective.
2. The bed, at each stage of its construction, is serving as a lab for the sixth grade service learning project. This is a new service learning project with the Englewood Center for Food Action (CFA) that is launching this year. The sixth grade is learning about hunger and nutrition issues in New Jersey communities and will be working with the CFA and the Englewood Community Garden (and America's Grow a Row) to plant a garden that will contribute fresh produce to CFA clients. Planting a successful garden involves a lot more than throwing some seeds in the ground, so students will be breaking up into Home Base groups and learning about different parts of the process on campus in the new bed. Then they will go to the community garden to do their part in the building and planting project as they have already practiced the skills they will need there.
Note that our composting system will also play a part -- contributing fertilizer for the CFA bed as well as our own! Our composting area is now complete, and subtly teaching kids in all three divisions about sustainable habits. Hopefully, the bins can play the role of advertising this part of our curriculum to the community.
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D-E Composts! You may be wondering about the large green tumbler situated next to the exit gate by Schenck Auditorium. No, we haven't placed trash bins is plain sight; we are being green, not trashy!
This initiative, which now saves hundreds of pounds of food waste from the landfill annually, was started in the main cafeteria by the Upper School Environmental Club (the Lower School has had its own program for years). The Middle School Green Team expanded their program to become part of Middle School lunch duty so that all Middle School kids could compost, and therefore learn about this important part of sustainable lifestyles, as well as develop the daily habit of recycling in this basic way.
Sixth grade Home Bases, with funding from the Green Team walkathon, purchased our four tumblers, and constructed the kits as their service to the school on the Day of Action one year (they built a vegetable garden another year that uses the finished compost as fertilizer!). Upper School lunch duty got in on this action next, and now we are well on our way to solidifying an institutional habit that helps save the environment, contributes to the cafeteria's designation as a green kitchen, educates young people about sustainable living habits, and feeds the soil for the school vegetable garden -- making many hands-on experiences for students in a variety of classes possible. So be proud of our bins when you pass them on the way out! Go D-E Green Team!
While the partially completed planting bed by the Umpleby parking lot is a "mess" at the moment - which is such an anomaly on our beautiful, well-tended campus - there are two reasons this new garden bed is an intentional and good mess:
"Why is a right angle useful and how do I create one?"
"How can we make something level?"
"Why is erosion bad and how can we prevent it?"
"Why do we make raised beds and are our reasons the same as those of the ancient cultures we are studying?"
"How do our methods and tools differ from those cultures we are studying?"
"How are they the same and why?"
"How much work is really involved in producing food?"
Since the students use a discovery method much of the time, they will take more time over this project rather than being just told what to do. While this may be inefficient, the end-product of the bed is only part of our objective.
Note that our composting system will also play a part -- contributing fertilizer for the CFA bed as well as our own! Our composting area is now complete, and subtly teaching kids in all three divisions about sustainable habits. Hopefully, the bins can play the role of advertising this part of our curriculum to the community.
Mailing Address: 315 East Palisade Avenue Englewood, NJ 07631gps: 81 Lincoln Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-9500 Email: d-e@d-e.org
Located in Englewood, New Jersey, Dwight-Englewood is a greater New York City area private school with a rigorous college prep curriculum for boys and girls in preschool through grade 12.