COLUMBUS, Ohio — This story is part of a 10TV series about the places we call home. "In Focus" features stories told from the perspective of people who live there. Stories that go beyond the "flashing lights" often seen when we talk about certain central Ohio neighborhoods.
Students in the Linden community are taking hands-on learning to another level.
Through Linden-McKinley STEM Academy's Agriculture Pathway Program, students spend class time working in a community garden on the corner of E. 25th Avenue and Medina Avenue. The goal is to help young people grow academically through experiential learning, making sure they're ready for life after high school.
Instructor Eric Valentine started the program about three years ago. He said they started with few resources, but now they're expanding. Recently, the City of Columbus' Department of Neighborhoods invested $50,000 in the program. The funding will help provide new water taps, irrigation, electricity, and fencing for the gardens.
"We had to think outside the box and big picture and think about ways we can bring that curriculum to life to the students," Valentine said. "Coming out of the program, they are able to drive forklifts, manlifts, scissor lifts, and pesticide certification. New for next school year ... is the drone certification so our students will have that as well. [They're] things that our students can take out of our school and our program and go right to an employer and get a job with or they can go right into the college pathway and be ready there as well."
However, if you ask students, they'll tell you - they're growing more than academically; they're also growing closer to the community.
"I genuinely enjoy doing it because I'm really into Earth things. Our planet is really bad pollution-wise and I just hope I am making a difference by giving back to the community," said Kenneth Pullien, a junior at Linden-McKinley STEM Academy. "I'll be going here next year, so I'll be invested in this next year as well. I'm just really glad to be a part of something."
Pullien said one of the most important things the program has taught him is the power of patience.
"It's all about patience - not trying to rush it and hurry up and be done, you know? When I first started, I wasn't that great either. I'm still learning as we speak, but I'm starting to find more joy doing things like this. It just gives me time to think about things," Pullien said.
Christine Weatherholtz is the Columbus City Schools' Farm-to-School Curriculum Coordinator. Weatherholtz said there are now 64 CCS schools participating in the community garden initiative.
"Columbus City Schools' Food Service, our director, did some research about farm-to-school nationally and really felt that our children should have the opportunity to participate in that learning as well because there are so many careers associated with it," she said.
Weatherholtz said not only are students learning where their food comes from, but they are able to learn science and math in an innovative way.
"Experiential learning, hands-on learning is what really encourages and motivates our children at all ages to be life-long learners," she said. "We have seen it be a great motivator for our children to learn and so we hope to continue this and with our great partners throughout the city, we will."
Valentine said, not only are the students invested in the program, but so are Linden community members.
"They know what's going on here. They protect this ground. They protect what's going on here. When they see us out here working, they know who are you. They have a conversation. They want to know what you're doing out here," Valentine said.
Valentine said after the students finish their research in the garden, the food goes back to the community.
"We are in a food desert here in Linden," He said. "Every Thursday, we are out here harvesting and by noon, all of it is gone typically. Anything that's not gone goes over to Saint Stephen's Community House and it goes right back to the community."
For students like Kenneth Pullien, he hopes the garden sends an important message.
"They can see that there are people out here, who are willing to give and help and be there for someone," he said. "This is kind of our message saying we are all together. No one is in this alone."
To learn more about the program, click here.