June 19, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

‘Seeds for Learning’ harvested at Martin Luther King High
by BARBARA L. SHERF

Weavers Way Farm Educator David Siller (bending) shows (far left) State Representative Dwight Evans and a host of dignitaries the produce he and the Martin Luther King High School students have managed to grow in 12 weeks. The produce is being sold on Wednesday afternoons at City Hall. Eventually, it will be sold at a farm stand outside of Martin Luther King High School. (Photo by Sol Levy)

As groundbreaking ceremonies for the Seeds for Learning program at the Martin Luther King High School in Germantown got underway Friday, the “pop, pop, pop” sounds clearly drew the attention of attendees and an array of television crews, reporters and photographers.

“No, you don’t have to duck,” said Sherrine Wilkins, Executive Director, School Services, Foundations, Inc. as the audience jumped at the sound of the balloons popping due to the heat. “This is a new era at Martin Luther King High. You will see firsthand the growth here, the seeds of change through the Seeds for Learning program.” 

She thanked the media for covering a positive story in the neighborhood where television crews typically arrive following a shooting or other violent crime. Others echoed her remarks.

“Five years ago, I would have been scared going into this high school,” acknowledged  Jack Kitchens, President of Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC). “But now, when I enter, students look me in the eye and ask if they can help me or direct me to the office.” 

While the ceremonies progressed, it was clear that behind the speakers, ground had already been broken six weeks earlier on what was once a vacant lot. Row after row of produce was apparent on the three-quarters of an acre tract, as well as an irrigation system. 

State Representative Dwight Evans toured the fenced-in lot as Weavers Way farm educator David Siller showed him what he and the students had planted and harvested. 

“Just a few short months ago this was a pile of compost,” Siller noted, wearing a straw hat, shorts and t-shirt. “Now the students pass by the farm on their way to football practice. The kids I work with couldn’t be more into it.”

The students sold their second harvest in the center square of City Hall last Wednesday.  Eventually, they hope to sell their fresh produce on-site.

“The plan is to have the farm stand right on school grounds where the kids will work over the summer to sell what they’ve grown,” said Weavers Way Communications Director Jonathan McGoran. “It’s pretty cool.” 

Brian Ferguson, an 11th grader and student farmer. agreed. “I used to walk by this lot and saw that it was not being used. I was so happy when our school was picked. It’s been a fun experience, and I hope to continue to learn about farming and selling the produce in the future.”

The Weavers Way Marketplace Program debuted at Martin Luther King High School in April, making King the seventh school – and the first high school – involved in the program, which initiates and oversees school-based, student-run food co-ops selling locally-produced snacks to students and teachers.

“We are the first comprehensive high school in Philadelphia to participate in a program like this,” Rhonda H. Lauer, CEO of Foundations, Inc., said of the farm. “With the new skills and healthy eating habits they will acquire, these students will experience firsthand the benefits of being good stewards of the earth and of themselves. We also hope that the community spirit and self-confidence they gain from the program will encourage them to continue working toward their diplomas and then on to college and careers.”

In addition to guiding students through the entire farming process, Weavers Way’s staff and a host of community groups support King students in learning the business side of the venture, including how to calculate costs, keep accounting records and take orders.  Among the partners in the project are Foundations, Inc., OARC, Enon Tabernacle Church, and Awbury Arboretum.

In her remarks, Elizabeth Werthan, Vice President of the Weavers Way Community Program’s Board of Directors, acknowledged that much progress was made in a short period of time. “We hired Rachel and told her she had a week to put together the proposal. She did and with available staff, we got this thing going. We didn’t expect it to happen in 12 short weeks. We’ve had two harvests already, and we expect many more,” she said. 

Although the current school year will soon be over, students from Martin Luther King School will work part-time over the summer as paid farmers, cultivating the land and caring for the crops with the help of interns from the Weavers Way Farm and volunteers from Enon Church.

For more information about the program go to www.weaversway.coop or www.foundationsinc.org Barbara Sherf is a publicist, writer and speech coach. You can contact her at Barb@CommunicationsPro.com.