Thurgood Marshall Academy to Host Growing Healthy Schools Week Kickoff

Background & History
This year marks the first annual Growing Healthy Schools Week, which is the fusion of DC School Garden Week and DC Farm to School Week. DC School Garden Week was launched in 2007 to celebrate school gardens throughout the District of Columbia. Three years later, DC Farm to School Week was born, providing an opportunity for DC schools to celebrate local, seasonal food in school meals, and engage students in the farm-to-table process. These two celebrations were extremely successful in stimulating more citywide support for and involvement in farm to school and school garden programs. Growing Healthy Schools Week highlights the interrelated goals of these two former weeks and reflects the components of the recent Healthy Schools Act, which encourages linkages between farm to school and school garden programs.

What is Growing Healthy Schools Week?
Growing Healthy Schools Week celebrates school gardens and farm to school programs throughout the district. During the week, school staff will work with local non-profits, farms and chefs to coordinate inspiring activities aimed at engaging the broader community, increasing environmental literacy, building program capacity, and connecting students to their food. When is Growing Healthy Schools Week?

October 15-20, 2012
Who’s organizing the week?
The DC Farm to School Network at DC Greens and the DC Schoolyard Greening Committee at DC Environmental Education Consortium (DCEEC), are coordinating Growing Healthy School Week, in conjunction with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) Wellness & Nutrition Services. The participation of school administrators, teachers, students, and other community partners is integral to making this week a success.Thurgood Marshall Academy will be hosting a Kick-Off Event on October 15th! See the invitation above for details.

How can schools participate?
Schools can coordinate activities that engage students in the process of growing, preparing and eating healthy, local food, and teach them about the connection between food and the environment.

We provide resources for schools to: – Host an interactive chef demonstration – Have a farmer come to your school – Visit a nearby urban farm, community garden, or school garden (in DC) – Take a field trip to a local farm (in VA or MD) – Incorporate farm/food education into classroom instruction – Highlight farm-fresh food in school cafeterias through a seasonal recipe or local food in the salad bar each day

How can I get more information?
Resources to help plan these activities are available on our website. For further
assistance contact Sam Ullery at sam.ullery@dc.gov.