Girl Scouts Troop 40998 visited Philip’s Academy Charter School in Newark this past Wednesday, September 19th. The troop were given a tour by Philip’s Academy science teacher Catkin Flowers.
Troop leader Ellen Margarita remarked, “Miss Flowers was amazing! She was patient, informative and showed us what a great eco-space they have in their school.”
Troop 40998 toured the academy’s kitchen where the entire school learns to cook foods from their garden harvest. Next, the Girl Scouts visited the rooftop garden and volunteered as a service to pull out weeds and remove infected plants. While there, they learned about the composting techniques – worms, shredded paper and greens from the cafeteria – that the school applies as part of a full cycle ecosystem.
Lastly, the Roselle Park Girl Scouts visited the charter school’s indoor garden located in the cafeteria. They tasted the harvest – lettuce, arugula, and mustard leaf – and then Miss Flowers let them prepare and seed a new batch of lettuce in the artificial garden.
The scout troop leader commented, “I wish I could be like Miss Flowers and bring gardening and cooking into our children’s education.”
Photographs courtesy and property of Ellen Margarita. Click on each image for a full-size view.
