From the Ground Up

We're ready to dig in and start composting! Join our team in making a positive change for our school community, by reducing waste and keeping compostable materials out of the landfill. Let's work together to provide much-needed compost for our school garden and wildlife habitats, and increase awareness of the vital role we have in improving our surrounding environment.

Our student-led project will take place at Morgantown Learning Academy (MLA), a non-profit, non-church affiliated, private school for children from preschool to eighth grade in Morgantown, WV.  We have the support of a parent garden group, teachers, and staff, and will work directly with the Mountain Stewardship and Outdoor Leadership (SOL) School, an outdoor education program focused on nature awareness, leadership, and environmental stewardship at MLA. 

We will focus on the natural, regenerative processes at work on the forest floor, along the hiking trails, and in the wildlife habitats around our school. Then our team leader will extend this learning both into the classroom and outdoors, with hands-on projects and activities. The students will build teams, and be responsible for specific tasks and details, like collecting and sorting compost materials, painting collection pails and creating signage, learning to maintain healthy compost, and eventually delving into worm composting. We plan to have working, possibly finished, compost in time for spring garden planting!

February 2015:

• Hands-on composting projects, to coincide with ioby's 24-hour donation-match event on February 26

March 2015:

• Purchase/building of all composting materials and educational resources
• Provide support to collect compost materials, make signage, and create compost schedule
• Build student compost teams, guide/assign rotating tasks and duties
• Monitor materials going into collection bins

April 2015:

• Provide support for teachers/students, making adjustments as necessary
• Begin weekly garden lessons with all students; compost review and importance of healthy soil

May 2015:

• Spring planting in MLA School Garden, hopeful use of first compost!
• Monarch butterfly and pollinator garden planting
• Continue to provide composting support

June 2015 and onward:

• Get participant feedback on overall project
• Send report and photos to ioby
• Teach composting in summer camp workshops
• Delve into worm composting as summer or fall project
• Continue to provide support, continue composting!

Our project is intended to reduce overall school waste and heighten students' abilities to be resourceful and environmentally-minded. By allowing nature to be their primary teacher, with hands-on learning through composting, children will learn the vital role they have in our environmental future. As teachers, gardeners, parents, donors, and volunteers, we can guide students in a life-long appreciation of the cycles inherent in nature and the positive, empowering impact they will gain through working together for the good of their school community and environment.