Lovettsville Elementary Helps Fuel Their Community
Each spring, the PE classes at Lovettsville Elementary (in Leesburg, VA) take part in giving back to their community by planting fruits and vegetables in the school garden. Once the produce is grown, the students also harvest it and donate it to the community food pantry. This project fits perfectly with their ongoing Fuel Up program Play of “Fuel Your Community”. It also helps the students make the connection that physical activity AND healthy eating is best together.
"When our school first started our “Souper Bowl” project years ago (students collect cans of food based on the NFL Super Bowl), we also discovered that fresh fruit and vegetables are rarely donated, said Hugh Brockway (Fuel Up Program Advisor). So, our Fuel Up students and I teamed up a made a plan of how to help."
The students first plant seeds in starter cups, during active PE classes, as an activity station. Over the next several weeks, select students maintain them in the hallway by rotating them in the sun and watering. Once the weather is safe, the PE classes transplant them to the school garden. If the space in the garden is too full, the extra plants will be sent directly home with families that could need them.
"Our students have a great sense of pride by helping others with this project. It also is a great outlet for physical activity for the “non-sports” focused student," added Hugh.
"When our school first started our “Souper Bowl” project years ago (students collect cans of food based on the NFL Super Bowl), we also discovered that fresh fruit and vegetables are rarely donated, said Hugh Brockway (Fuel Up Program Advisor). So, our Fuel Up students and I teamed up a made a plan of how to help."
The students first plant seeds in starter cups, during active PE classes, as an activity station. Over the next several weeks, select students maintain them in the hallway by rotating them in the sun and watering. Once the weather is safe, the PE classes transplant them to the school garden. If the space in the garden is too full, the extra plants will be sent directly home with families that could need them.
"Our students have a great sense of pride by helping others with this project. It also is a great outlet for physical activity for the “non-sports” focused student," added Hugh.
