Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:740 students and 44 teachers participate in school day and afterschool programming operated by Rochester Roots, Inc. Our Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE) Program establishes Learning Garden Laboratories at schools. In this naturally engaging, prepared environment, youth learn the principles and concepts of sustainability through the garden's living systems. During school day Stand On My Own Two Feet SquaredTM and Bringing Ideas to LifeTMafterschool programs youth grow vegetables, herbs, flowers and medicinal plants which they process into -- youth-determined -- entrepreneur businesses. Youth design and prototype business that are focused on achieving seven well-being outcomes. They reach out to collaborate with graduate students and sustainability experts to co-engineer agricultural systems and technologies. The multi-year program culminates in an annual SEE Judged Competition where sustainability experts in the fields of ecosystem, education, employment, financial, health, public safety and sense-of-community. They give feedback to the youth who are awarded one of eight wellbeing awards - with 'Resilience' being the highest of achievement. The skills and new knowledge learned through this process contributes to the sustainability and wellbeing of our community. The participating schools are: Rochester City School District - Montessori Academy - 625 Scio St., Rochester, NY 14605 Stand On My Own Two Feet SquaredTM school day program: 320 grades Pre-K - 6 students, 16 teachers Bringing Ideas to Life TM afterschool entrepreneur program: 20 students Greece Central School District - Lakeshore Elementary School - 1200 Latta Road, Greece, NY 14621 Stand On My Own Two Feet SquaredTM school day program: 420 grades 3-6 students, 28 teachers Bringing Ideas to LifeTM afterschool entrepreneur program: 20 students Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Lakeshore Elementary School teachers helped develop a teaching framework that aligns Rochester Roots Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE) pedagogy with the Next Generation Science Standards. Phase II development begins in 2019 with our SEE Connections Worksheets.. Sustainable Intelligence, LLC documented Rochester Roots nine-step entrepreneur process with Robert Hochgraf (a 14 year old computer programmer). Phase II is presently in development for merging into the Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship Knowledge Resource System (SEEKRS) SystemTM. (C) Sustainable Intelligence, LLC, 2018 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Our annual SEE Judged Competition provides students with an opportunity to present their year-long entrepreneur projects to their peers, teachers, the public, and a team of expert and university faculty from across the nation. Criteria for judging is based on the students critical thinking and decision-making skills developed through a Sustainability Framework and nine-step entrepreneur process. The student's project must addressed seven wellbeing indexes: 1) Financial, 2) Employment, 3) Education, 4) Health, 5) Ecosystem, 6) Public Safety, and 7) Sense of Community. Youth use three forms of whole-systems modeling: 1) Identifying the system, 2) Influence Modeling of the current system, 3) System Dynamics Models to determine long-term outcomes and reduce unintended consequences to show how they intend to systemically build their business. In 2018 the judges awarded a new category of Resilience for a student who's project was exemplary and synthesized all seven wellbeing outcomes. Blythe Fisher, Bunny WorldTM game. Awarded 2018. 2016-2018 Judges: Ecosystem Rachel C. Guy, Assistant Director, Sponsored Programs Accounting, Rochester Institute of Technology Sarah Brownell, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology Education James Palermo, Principal, Lakeshore Elementary School Don Sweet, CEO, Sustainable Intelligence Employment Mike Mandina, President, Optimax Systems, Inc. Clark Hochgraf, Electrical, Computing & Communications Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology Financial Ira Miller, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Health Dr. Peter Simon, Medical Director of Department of Community Health, Rhode Island, retired Monica Smith, Montessori Directress, Montessori Intervention Programs, Educateurs San Frontieres David Margolis, Research Associate, Brown University School of Public Health Public Safety Thomas P. Seager, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University Sense of Community Jennifer Sertl, Founder, Agility3R Sarah Brownell, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: Expand the Urban Sustainability Laboratory at Montessori Academy (MA) Rochester Roots facilitated 990 garden and sustainability-based workshops to 320 grades preK-6th youth from 2015-18. Goal 2: Establish a new "Learning Garden Laboratory" at the MA A 56 raised bed Learning Garden Laboratory was used for hands-on garden experiences in growing, harvesting, preparing, processing and saving seeds from heirloom vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and medicinal plants. Goal 3: Using the "Science Laboratory" students will apply academic concepts, garden experiences and STEAM principles to design, engineer and build real-world agriculture-based technologies that support a sustainable and healthy urban food system. 2018: Collabored with Rochester Institute of Technology's multidisciplinary design program to prototype single and bulk seed packages. Youth grew, harvested and dried heirloom seed, drew botanical and beneficial insects illustrations and conducted research on the following varieties: Calendula Resina, Colorado Yarrow, Hopi Red Dye Sunflower, Titan Sunflower, Valentine Sunflower, and Seashell Cosmos. 2016-2018: Rochester Institute of Technology's Kate Gleason School of Engineering Multidisciplinary Senior Design Team Projects: a collaborative, cross-disciplinary and intergenerational approach to design and develop engineered products. Projects sponsored by Rochester Roots include: a. Marketable, Stackable Seed Starter Kit: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P16419/public/Home b. Lip Balm & Hand Salve Production Process Improvement: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P16420/public/Home c. Robo-Composter 1.0: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P16421/public/Home d. Robo-Composter 2.0: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P17421/public/Home e. Continuous Classroom Vermicomposter: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P17419/public/Home Goal 4: Using the "Kitchen Laboratory" students will develop 72 "Kid Tested, Kid Approved" recipes. 2015-2018: Using ingredients from the school learning garden youth grew, harvested and processed ingredients into healthy recipes. Grade 5 student Areana Soto developed the Farm Market Rodeo management system with Game Designer, Ben Sawyer. She then 'hired' Alana Jackson to develop A & A's Catering. They conducted Kid Tested, Kid Approved recipe development with youth attending the Bringing Ideas to Life afterschool program. These were compiled into a recipe book organized by the five food groups: Grains, Vegetables, Protein, Dairy & Fat. Examples of recipes: cucumber tomato salad, cucmber sandwishes, salads and dressings, dips, roasted veggies, smoothies, vegetable soups, tomato sauce, whole wheat vegetable pastas (carrot, beet and parsley), pizza, bread and pretzels, lemon honey tea and a carrot cake. After School Programs: "Bringing Science to Life" Goal 5: Using the "Entrepreneur Laboratory" students will conceptualize, design, and process garden materials into a new entrepreneurial product. 2015-2018. Youth developed new value-added products and presented them at a Science Fair and a Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship Judged Competition: The business prototypes are: GAMES Farm Market RodeoTM and A & A's CateringTM: farm market management system and catering company My Future SelfTM game: decision-making game that follows life course theory Plant RacerTM game: learn about plant's sociological, ecological and technological systems and their environmental challenges Bunny WorldTM: a game about being resilient in the face of disease, war, famine, loss of family, death and survival PRODUCTS Eriq's CarpetsTM: naturally dyed cotton from garden ingredients Pedraza's Woodworking CompanyTM: seed sifter box, worm bin and woodworking table Zadiel's SoapsTM: cinnamon-scented * flower-infused glycerine soaps The Balm!TM: calendula, yarrow, grapefruit-scented lip balm Peacemaker PapermakersTM: Seed PodsTM, Roc 'n' Paper BasketsTM, and PapermintTM natural paper products Arctic Wolf EcosystemTM: research relationship between leichen, caribou, arctic wolf and mosquito populations WormativityTM: track red wiggler population growth ArtemotionTM: how does this artwork make you feel? Flowers=HappinessTM: heirloom flower earrings SERVICES A's Water SourceTM: safe drinking water Robot WorksTM: community trash collection Healthy School Lunch: transforming cafeteria meals with school garden produce Joey's Filming Co.TM: document student entrepreneur projects; make films CPOTM (Cleaning Pencil Robot). Cleans, sharpens and distributes pencils. Saves trees. Saves money. System Dynamics Modeling: decision-making and process flows through models and computer simulations Goal 6: Develop & Implement "Neighborhood Entrepreneurs" Program Six (6) Lakeshore Elementary students built eight (8) raised beds for Longridge Elementary School and six (6) raised beds for the Genesee Charter School. The palletized raised beds are nestable and can configue from 1' to 2' to 3' in height. The youth we're paid a stipend. The beds are filled with VermigreenTM compost, Farmington, NY. Goal 7: Expand the "Urban Farm Share CSA & Entrepreneur Intern" Program Produce from the gardens was distributed directly from the schools to the 760 participaing students and their teachers for use in their homes, classrooms, recipes and entrepreneur projects. Heirloom seeds are saved. Goal 8: Develop in conjunction with Goals 1-7 an "Experiential Sustainability Curriculum" Collaborated with Sustainable Intelligence, LLC to document our nine-step entrepreneur process. Working with students, Blythe Fisher (11), Joey Gregoire (11) and Robert Hochgraf (14) created the framework for an online interactive system. Sustainable Intelligence developed an on-line SEE Knowledge Resource System (SEEKRS) to house over 4,000 library references, peer reviewed papers, books and articles related to sustainability. Our two systems will merge in 2019 and will store our SEE Connections curriculum, reference library, worksheets and artifacts. Lakeshore Elementary School (LES) Goals Goal 9: Years 2015-16. Conduct "Teacher Practicums" to develop "Experiential Sustainability Curriculum" while supporting the replication of ROOTS programs into a suburban school district. A Science Committee was formed to include 3rd, 4th and 5th grade level teachers, a social worker, a principal and chair of the science department, Edel Maeder. Together, we mapped the relationship of SEE Curriculum to the Next Generation Science Standards Cross-Cutting Concepts and Science & Engineering Practices. Goal 10: Years 2016-17 & 2017-18. Establish a new "Garden Laboratory". 1. Established a 75' x 140' garden that contains 34 raised beds, inground and vertical growing methods. In 2018 a strawbale tomato garden was built, 4' x 6' beneficial insect habitat, rainwater collection system, and trellises were added. 2.Youth and their teachers attend 30 practicums, annually, where they self-determined what to grow in their raised beds. Their designs were then sketched on a garden map, planted, maintained and harvested by each classroom. Goal 12: Years 2016-17 and 2017-18. Provide "Entrepreneur Laboratory" after school workshops for students, two days per week. 20 students annually attended our Bringing Ideas to Life afterschool program to design and prototype entrepreneur projects. The follow products represent all businesses developed between 2017-2018. Seed Package Design: collaborated with Rochester Institute of Technology Beneficial Insect Habitat: to attract native insects to the garden Rainwater Collection System: gutter and rainbarrel Homeless Garden: growing food for those in need Magical Garden: attracts butterfly, bee and other pollinators to the garden
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE): A new-knowledge process in the face of complexity and accelerating change for children in grades PreK 6. Donald S. Sweet, CEO Sustainable Intelligence, LLC. International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technologies (ISSST-2018), Buffalo, New York.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
2018 Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship Judged Competition, Greece Central School District, Lakeshore Elementary School. http://www.rochesterroots.org/see-entrepreneurs/
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Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Among the 29,984 students enrolled in the Rochester City School District (RCSD), 90 percent are racial minorities. Among this 90 percent, students identifying as Black or African American (57.42 percent) or Hispanic (28.06 percent) comprise the largest enrollment of students who self-identify as a racial minority. In the RCSD, 86 percent of students are eligible for the free- or reduced-price lunch program. Rochester, NY is the 4th poorest city in the nation, 3rd for neighborhoods in extreme poverty, and is the poorest urban school district in New York State. Due to a deficient educational system graduating only 53% of students, at-risk families are moving into more affluent suburbs surrounding our city resulting in the growth of poverty in the Greece, NY community which is a contiguous suburb of Rochester. To address growing needs the Greece Central School District (GCSD) has adopted a Community School Model for organizing the resources of a community around student success. Through extended hours, services and relationships, community schools reconceive education as a coordinated, child-centered effort in which schools, families and communities work together to support student success and community wellbeing. The RCSD's Montessori Academy a Title 1 urban school is the target population for the Rochester Roots Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE) program, 67% of the 340 Pre-K - 6th grade students are eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch. 14 teachers and 6 para-professionals participate in the program. The GCSD's Lakeshore Elementary School (LES) is a Title 1 suburban school with 65% of its 420 students eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch. LES most closely borders the City of Rochester's Northwest quadrant and is attractive to many low-income families who are seeking a better educational situation. 21 teachers and 7 para-professionals participate in the SEE program. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Don Sweet CEO of Sustainable Intelligence, a consultant to ROOTS, facilitated two professional development practicums for LES 3rd-5th grade teachers. LES implemented a Rochester Roots Science Committee consisting of the GCSD Science Chair, a principal, four LES teachers, two ROOTS staff and Sustainable Intelligence. The goal of this committee is to accomplish the following: Discuss the Next Generation Science Standards roll out. Develop STEM kits for 3rd and 4th science standards using the ROOTS worm bins as the vehicle to teach modeling, systems thinking, engineering principles, and design thinking. Support curriculum writing that prepares ROOTS to expand into additional schools in the 2018-19 school year. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?RCSD's Montessori Academy youth entrepreneurs present: Science Fair: Montessory Academy SEE students presented their business prototypes to parents and community members on Thursday, February 9, 2017. Students use this mid-term event to gain feedback on their prototypes. Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE) Judged Competition: Montessori Academy students presented their business concepts, research, and product prototypes to a panel of judges and interested community members on June 10th, 2017 at Rochester Institute of Technology's Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. SEE participants included the support of senior college engineers, professors, business mentors and experts, as they aspire to develop knowledge and outcomes, including the potential of having viable, sustainable businesses before high school graduation. Criteria for judging was based on the social entrepreneur's demonstration of research and development, critical thinking and decision-making expertise in developing sustainable businesses that improve one or more of seven community-wellbeing outcomes: 1) Financial,2) Employment, 3) Education, 4) Health, 5) Ecosystem, 6) Public Safety, and 7) Sense of Community. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Expand the garden infrastructure at LES to include three new garden beds and water harvesting technologies as determined by students. 2. Create and test 40 new recipes and complete a published recipe book. 3. Finalize Experiential Sustainability Curriculum frameworks that are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and package the materials for replicating the program within the GCSD. 4. Advance student entrepreneur product prototypes, test them with the public, and finalize designs for scaling production.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
IMPACT The world's food and agriculture systems are experiencing accelerating challenges, an increasingly critical role in world stability dependent on food and energy security, and all while lacking the pipeline of "young people who grew up on farms" entering educational venues that develop problem-solving human capital. Rochester Roots' is rebuilding this pipeline through its age 3 to grade six Sustainability Education and Entrepreneurship (SEE) program. It uses a dynamic approach to curriculum and teaching for collaborative experiential learning within the naturally engaging complexity of learning gardens as sustainability laboratories, and uses Self-Determination Theory and Growth Mindset to support student motivation and academic achievement. This is fundamentally grounded in model-based inquiry, which inherently follows individual student's epistemology, while reflecting the epistemology of science, is supported by expertise of business mentors and university partners, and integrates cross-disciplinary critical thinking and decision-making skills in student's self-determined, agriculture-based entrepreneur projects to improve community wellbeing. Montessori Academy Goals: School Day Program Goal 1: Advance the development of an "Urban Sustainability Laboratory" at the Montessori Academy. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Facilitated Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship classes for 320 students and 20 teachers in Pre-K - 6th grade two days per week for 31 weeks. Provided hands-on experiences on: Soil Health; Modeling System of Plants & Beneficial Insects; Seed Harvest, Sifting & Storage; Botanical Drawing; Soil Health; Composting Systems; Recipe Development; Seed Starting; Food Chains; Companion Planting; Seed Sowing & Weather Impacts; and Garden Planning & Planting. Pre-K-2nd grade students gained an experience of Sociological, Ecological and Technological Systems (SETS) causal relationships. 3rd-6th grade students system modeled SETS in all activities and maintained a lab book. Goal 2: Establish a new "Learning Garden Laboratory" at the MA ACCOMPLISHMENTS A 56 raised bed Learning Garden was built in 2015-16. Three additional 5' x 10' raised beds and an outdoor vermicompost bin were built in 2016-17. Goal 3: Using the "Science Laboratory" students will apply academic concepts, garden experiences and STEAM principles to design, engineer and build real-world agriculture-based technologies that support a sustainable and healthy urban food system. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Partnered with Rochester Institute of Technology Multidisciplinary Senior Design Team students to engineer: 2017 Robo-Composter designed and engineered to grind and automate recycling of food waste into nutrient dense compost. See: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P16421/public/Home 2017 Continuous Classroom Vermicomposter for red wiggler worms to process and grate food waste from snacks and garden into vermicast. See: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P17419/public/Home 2016 Lip Balm Assembly Line for processing medicinal plants into lip balm. See: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P16420/public/Home 2016 Marketable, Stackable Seed Starter Kit. Integrates controlled LED lighting, data monitoring for soil moisture, temperature and light, and reduced production costs. See: http://edge.rit.edu/edge/P16419/public/Home Goal 4: Using the "Kitchen Laboratory" students will develop 72 "Kid Tested, Kid Approved" recipes. ACCOMPLISHMENTS 5th grade MA student Areana Soto designed a recipe book featuring 20 recipes from local produce. 320 MA students tested recipes using vegetables and herbs grown in their Learning Garden: 3 soups: Minestrone, Tomato Basil and Broccoli Cheddar. 3 handmade bow tie pasta recipes: Carrot, Beet and Parsley. 1 whole wheat pretzel recipe using milled grain from Lakeview Organic Grain. After School Programs: "Bringing Science to Life" Goal 5: Using the "Entrepreneur Laboratory" students will conceptualize, design, and process garden materials into a new entrepreneurial product. ACCOMPLISHMENTS The Balm!TM Lip Balm - Processed from calendula and yarrow flowers grow in garden The Worms BusinessTM: Vermicompost system & advergame - Red wigglers compost food and paper waste. Peacemakers PapermakersTM, PapermintTM & Seed PodsTM Sandraza Woodworking CompanyTM - Seed sifter & cedar vermicomposting bin Game of Bunny WorldTM - Game of Survival (Predator/Prey, Life Cycles, Reproduction) Farm Market RodeoTM - Recipe Development - Using vegetables, fruits and herbs grown in learning garden Plant RacerTM Game - Risks and Rewards of Growing Flowers Systems Modeling - Lucidchart diagrams of Plant RacerTM and My Future SelfTM games My Future SelfTM Game - Uses Life Course Theory Goal 6: Develop & Implement "Neighborhood Entrepreneurs" Program ACCOMPLISHMENTS 3 MA students were paid to assist ROOTS staff in building six raised beds for the Genesee Charter School. 2 MA students were paid to assist ROOTS staff in developing System of a Learning Garden models using Lucidchart. 1 MA student was paid to facilitate My Future SelfTM gameplay feedback sessions with the Urban League of Rochester's 7th-9th grade students. Goal 7: Expand the "Urban Farm Share CSA & Entrepreneur Intern" Program ACCOMPLISHMENTS Produce from the MA and LES Learning Gardens was freely distributed to students, teachers and community members for use in the school day and afterschool programs, at home, for LES Soup from the Garden open house where 220 bowls of soup and 220 samples of cucumber tomato salad were served to students, teachers and family members, and for Kid Tested, Kid Approved soup recipes sampled by 320 MA students. Goal 8: Develop in conjunction with Goals 1-7 an "Experiential Sustainability Curriculum" ACCOMPLISHMENTS LES implemented a Science Committee consisting of the GCSD's Science Chair, one principal, four teachers, two ROOTS staff and Sustainable Intelligence. The goal of this committee is to accomplish the roll out the Next Generation Science Standards and use the Learning Garden to experientially support that implementation. Lakeshore Elementary School (LES) Goals Goal 9: Years 2015-16. Conduct "Teacher Practicums" to develop "Experiential Sustainability Curriculum" while supporting the replication of ROOTS programs into a suburban school district. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Consultant Don Sweet, CEO Sustainable Intelligence conducted two (2) practicums with LES teachers focused on the alignment of the Next Generation Science Standards. Goal 10: Years 2016-17 & 2017-18. Establish a new "Garden Laboratory". ACCOMPLISHMENTS 33 raised beds and a three bin composting system was installed A 75' x 145' fence was installed An Eagle Scout from a Greece Boy Scout troup designed and built two latching 6' gates and a 12' gate. Goal 11: Years 2016-17 & 2017-18. Provide "Student Practicums", two days per week. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Workshops facilitated with LES students included the following: Introduction to Garden Styles, SETS Modeling Garden Scenarios, System Dynamics Modeling, Garden Build & Planting, Garden Observations, and Seed Saving. Conducted three hands-on summer garden practicums for 90 students attending summer school in GCSD. Goal 12: Years 2016-17 and 2017-18. Provide "Entrepreneur Laboratory" after school workshops for students, two days per week. ACCOMPLISHMENTS 60 students participated in Bringing Ideas to Life after school sessions and were challenged to self-determine an entrepreneur product that would improve the wellbeing of their community. Examples of projects include: Cleaning Pencil Robot (CPR) foamcore prototype: Accepts, cleans, sharpens and distributes pencils intended to reduce the loss of trees as a natural agricultural resource. Healthy Soil Team: Learned about healthy soil through the building of worm composting bins and sheet mulching to build healthy soil in the garden. Recyling Cardboard and Cafeteria Food Waste.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Barbara Burke. "Growing the Mind". GreeceNewsNY.com, June 21, 2017. http://greecenewsny.com/schools/2017-06-21/growing-the-mind/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Greece Central School District. "Lakeshore Community Learning Garden Aims to Grow Young Minds". GoodNewsLetter, Winter 2016. 3
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Greece Central School District. "Community Partners". https://www.greececsd.org/domain/179.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rochester Roots, Inc. "Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE) Event". http://www.rochesterroots.org/events/
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Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Rochester City School District Montessori Academy (MA) Our target audience for 2015-16 had a total of 320 Pre-K--6th grade students of which 230 are Pre-K--2nd grade and 90 are 3rd--6th grade. In addition, we serve 15 teachers, six (6) paraprofessionals, one (1) principal, one (1) vice principal, two (2) educational coaches, one (1) PTA president, 30 parents and 10 university seniors. MA is a Title 1 school seving 67% of students living at or below poverty. Efforts included: Quarterly strategic planning meetings with the Montessori Academy principal and two (2) teacher coaches. Two (2) feedback sessions with 14 Montessori Academy teaching staff. Four (4) program development meetings with a certified Association Montessori International (AMI) directress and founder Montessori Intervention. 320 students participated in formal classroom instruction, laboratory, experiential project-based and model-based learning focused on sustainability education and entrepreneurship. Students learned about living systems sustainability through modeling of co-creating and co-evolving Sociological, Ecological and Technological Systems (SETS). Two (2) ROOTS staff worked with Sustainable Intelligence, LLC to innovative teaching methodologies, processes and curriculum frameworks and developed ten evaluation heuristics aligned with a five-step SI Sustainability Framework, which guides the students projects. 90 students participated in the Stand On My Own Two Feet Squared learning garden research, design, build and plant workshops. 20 students participated in the two (2) eight-week Bringing Science to Life afterschool entrepreneur programs. 20 students, one (1) business, six (6) university students and 100 family members participated in a Science Fair. 15 students, seven (7) judges, (1) one business, (1) journalist and 35 family members participated in a Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship (SEE) judged competition. Greece Central School District Lakeshore Elementary School (LES) Our target audience for 2015-16 had a total of 35 teachers, one (1) principal, one (1) vice principal, one (1) PTA president, and 12 parents and 25 students. LES is a Title 1 school serving 65% of students living at or below poverty. Efforts included: Quarterly strategic planning meetings with the principal and teaching staff. One (1) strategic planning meeting with facilities personnel. Earth Day event to 1) conduct a vegetable, fruit and herb preference survey with students and families, 2) two hands-on demonstrations in vermicomposting and worm bin making and 3) transplanting of heirloom tomatoes, basil and companion plants. Rochester Institute of Technology Multidisciplinary Senior Design Team Eleven university students designed and engineered agriculture-based technologies. Robo-Composter Stackable Seed Starter Laboratory Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?On June 11, 2016 ROOTS and it's collaborators presented learning lectures to provide a deep learning context for the community and professionals. The presentations were: Systems Education: Influence Models, Games, and Ideas to Help Parents and Students Identify with College Students.Thomas P.Seager, Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability; Associate Professor, Arizona State University https://sustainability.asu.edu/person/thomas-seager/ Model-Based Inquiry & Entrepreneurism. Don Sweet, CEO Sustainable Intelligence http://sustainableintelligence.net/City_Of_Rochester_Urban_Agriculture_Feasibility_Study_Final_Report_2011-09-28.pdf Human Development: Intersection Between Children, Adults and the Learning Environment.Monica Sullivan-Smith, MS Ed, AMI-Montessori Teacher Deputy and John F. Erhart, MD, Executive Director, Montessori Intervention http://www.montessoriintervention.org/about-us.php Two game lectures for parents, educators and community with Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder Digitalmill, a Nationally recognized developer of Serious Games for Health and manager of ROOTS student SEE games. Ben presented: From Videogames to Science, Careers, and The Bigger World: See how a young people's love of videogames can turn into more than fights over screen time. Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder Digitalmill, LLC, http://www.dmill.com Building Videogames for Science and More: Learn how videogames are being developed with, and for science and education. Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder Digitalmill, LLC,http://www.dmill.com How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Saturday, June 11, 2016 fifteen (15) Montessori Academy students co-hosted an event with non-profit leaders, university faculty, experts and business partners for their 1st annual Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship Event (SEE), Judged SEE Competition, Poster Presentations, Product Sales, Community & Professional Learning Lectures at the Rochester Museum & Science Center's Eisenhart Auditorium. The event was free and open to the public. ImagineRIT Innovation + Creativity Festival 2016, Saturday, May 7, 2016. Presentation of Seed Starter Kit and Robo-Composter which was entered into the 2016 ARM Student Design Contest, which won Second Place in Audience Winners https://people.rit.edu/armdev/contest.html ROOTS regularly uses social media via Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter to deseminate our accomplishments. ROOTS uses our website to clearly articulate our mission, vision and program accomplishments. ROOTS uses a hallway display case at the Montessori Academy to document the students work to administartors, teachers and the public. ROOTS hired videographer Paul Tracy, CEO Envision Productions to document student presenters during 1) TinkerCad workshop with RIT students, 2) February 11, 2016 ROOTS Science Fair and 3) June 11, 2016 ROOTS SEE Competition. Josh Pies C47 Films is producing the videos into an 18 minute documentary with an expected completion date of July 24, 2016. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Build an additional 14 raised beds at the Montessori Academy Implement a student-run entrepreneur Farmers Market at the Montessori Academy Further develop 90 student business concepts and integrate student value-added products into the farm market Conduct "Kid Tested, Kid Approved" recipe development workshops "Hire" 12 students to implement the Neighborhood Entrepreneurs program Design and build Lakeshore Elementary School garden and facilitate entrepreneur program Facilitate 2nd annual Science Fair and SEE competition Submit a peer reviewed paper, workshop and poster submission to Montessori Congress 2017, held in Prague, Capital of Czech Republic.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
IMPACT Rochester Roots (ROOTS) empowers citizens and communities, starting with youth, to create agency for their own sustainable wellbeing. We envision vibrant communities of diverse people with high performance brains who collaborate to create sustainable wellbeing. ROOTS Sustainability Education & Entrepreneurship project works in partnerships to address the health, education, and entrepreneurship needs that build student capacity for resilience, self-reliance and to self-determine a better future. In the ROOTS Stand On My Own Two Feet Squared (SOMOTFS) school day and Bringing Science to Life (BSTL) after school programs students learn to self-determine their own futures by creating a real world business, product or service that improves the sustainability and wellbeing of their community. Montessori Academy Goals: School Day Program Accomplishments Goal 1: Advance the development of an "Urban Sustainability Laboratory" at the MA. Accomplishments ROOTS staff provided SOMOTFS school day and BSTL after school programs for 320 Pre-K--6th grade students in the Urban Sustainability Laboratory on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:15am-4:00pm. Goal 2: Establish a new "Learning Garden Laboratory" at the MA Accomplishments In the SOMOTFS learning garden project students participated in the research, design and build of a new 56 raised bed learning garden featuring 4' x 4' palletized cedar raised beds. Through this project student's self-determined a 2' x 2' square garden within a 4' x 4' raised bed. All 320 students learned the fundamentals of compost, soil, seeds, and plants and started seedlings in the classroom horticulture laboratory. 90 3rd-6th grade students were challenged to complete a yearlong SI Sustainability Framework and an entrepreneur business concept to generates income from the sale of their produce, value-added product or service and presented their work through through a PhD-style poster. Goal 3: Using the "Science Laboratory" students will apply academic concepts, garden experiences and STEAM principles to design, engineer and build real-world agriculture-based technologies that support a sustainable and healthy urban food system. Accomplishments Collaborated with Rochester Institute of Technology to engineer and build a 1) Robo-Composter that both speeds up and automates the entire composting process for use in a small classroom environment to be used as both a learning tool and as a way to promote environmental sustainability in the community and 2) a Stackable Seed Starter Laboratory for use as a learning tool and experimental laboratory. Goal 4: Using the "Kitchen Laboratory" students will develop 72 "Kid Tested, Kid Approved" recipes. Accomplishments Two students test marketed their "Kid Tested, Kid Approved" Blueberry Blast and Raspberry Splash sorbet to the public during an annual Science Fair. Goal 5:Using the "Entrepreneur Laboratory" students will conceptualize, design, and process garden materials into a new entrepreneurial product. Accomplishments 15 RCSD's Montessori Academy 3rd-6th students presented their ten BSTL entrepreneur business prototypes to a panel of seven (7) national judges.The BSTL after school program offers student's the ability to develop businesses supported by college engineers, professors, business mentors and experts.The students presented their product, knowledge and outcomes through a poster and demonstration. Criteria for judging are based on their critical thinking and sustainability decision-making skill in addressing seven wellbeing indexes, 1)Financial, 2), Employment, 3)Education, 4) Health, 5) Ecosystem, 6) Public Safety, and 7) Sense of Community.The competitors were: Game Designers Ronan Eckle-Monroe -Twine Expertise,Learn how to use Twine to develop a story Subash Rai -My Future Self Game, Life-course decision-making Rusquel Ramirez -Plant Racer Game,Learn about plant growing dynamics Areana Soto -Farmers Market Game,Teaches life cycle of a farm from seed to market Entrepreneur Businesses Setr Multhana - Flowers = Happiness,Heirloom flower plants and flower earrings Ana Baurouth & Ryan Gregorie,The Balm! Lip Balm Jaslyn Branch & Quentin Nowden,Worm Composting Bin,Recycles plant and paper waste into compost Rachel Gregorie, Yah'Tiara Wilson-Lewis, Khiara Baldwin,Paper Bowls & Seed Pods, Made from Recycled Blue Jean Linters Blythe Fisher,Palletized Raised Beds,Designed for adaptability and ease of movement Dominic Dyer,Invention Creation Center,Helping others with their entrepreneur businesses Goal 6: Develop & Implement "Neighborhood Entrepreneurs" Program Accomplishments 90 students participated in the SOMOTFS raised bed learning garden design and build of which twelve students expressed interest is becoming neighborhood entrepreneurs in the 2016-17 school year. Goal 7: Expand the "Urban Farm Share CSA & Entrepreneur Intern" Program Accomplishments 4th grade student Areana Soto has self-determined that she will be the manager for a student-run farmer market starting in September 2016. Goal 8: Develop in conjunction with Goals 1-7 an "Experiential Sustainability Curriculum" Accomplishments Developed eleven curriculum frameworks 1) System of a Pumpkin 2) System of a Vermicomposting "Worm" Bin 3) Using Your Senses to Make Observations of the Garden Site 4) Mapping & Measuring the Garden 5) Introduction to Garden Types 6) Sociological, Ecological and Technological Systems (SETS) Modeling 7) Developing Garden Scenarios 8) Using a Lab Book to record Garden Scenarios research and references 9) System Dynamics Modeling 10) Using Lucid Chart to Develop SETS Models 11) Using TinkerCad to Design 3D SETS Models & 3D Printing Goal 9: Years 2015-16. Conduct "Teacher Practicums" to develop "Experiential Sustainability Curriculum" while supporting the replication of ROOTS programs into a suburban school district. On June 11, 2016 ROOTS and it's collaborators presented learning lectures to provide a deep learning context for the community and professionals. The presentations were: Systems Education: Influence Models, Games, and Ideas to Help Parents and Students Identify with College Students.Thomas P.Seager, Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability; Associate Professor, Arizona State University https://sustainability.asu.edu/person/thomas-seager/ Model-Based Inquiry & Entrepreneurism. Don Sweet, CEO Sustainable Intelligence http://sustainableintelligence.net/City_Of_Rochester_Urban_Agriculture_Feasibility_Study_Final_Report_2011-09-28.pdf Human Development: Intersection Between Children, Adults and the Learning Environment.Monica Sullivan-Smith, MS Ed, AMI-Montessori Teacher Deputy and John F. Erhart, MD, Executive Director, Montessori Intervention http://www.montessoriintervention.org/about-us.php Two game lectures for parents, educators and community with Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder Digitalmill, a Nationally recognized developer of Serious Games for Health and manager of ROOTS student SEE games. Ben presented: From Videogames to Science, Careers, and The Bigger World: See how a young people's love of videogames can turn into more than fights over screen time. Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder Digitalmill, LLC, http://www.dmill.com Building Videogames for Science and More: Learn how videogames are being developed with, and for science and education. Ben Sawyer, Co-Founder Digitalmill, LLC,http://www.dmill.com Goal 10: Years 2016-17 & 2017-18. Establish a new "Garden Laboratory". Presently in development. Expected start date, September 12th, 2016. Goal 11: Years 2016-17 & 2017-18. Provide "Student Practicums", two days per week. Presently in development. Expected start date, September 12th, 2016. Goal 12: Years 2016-17 and 2017-18. Provide "Entrepreneur Laboratory" after school workshops for students, two days per week. Presently in development. Expected start date, September 12th, 2016.
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
www.rochesterroots.org
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Jan McDonald, presenter. "Bringing science to life: a collaborative approach to sustainability education." WiSE Professions: Collaborative model of sustainability education. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, March 9, 2016. http://www.esf.edu/calendar/event.asp?EventId=9430
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Asinof, Richard. "How to solve wicked problems." ConvergenceRI, May 23, 2016. http://www.convergenceri.com/stories/How-to-solve-wicked-problems,2391
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Asinof, Richard. "Crossing the chasm of progress when there are two trains running" ConvergenceRI, May 23, 2016. http://newsletter.convergenceri.com/stories/Crossing-the-chasm-of-progress-when-there-are-two-trains-running,2459
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
RIT Alumni, "Advisors help Rochester reimagine the business landscape, Research at RIT, Fall/Winter 2015-16. https://www.rit.edu/research/sites/rit.edu.research/files/research-magazines/P1829%20Research%20mag_ptr%20file.pdf
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