Elementary School P.S. 55 Benjamin Franklin has an innovative program that is teaching farming to kids 5 days a week. He helps the class grow their own vegetables and serves them as lunch, as well as distributing the extras home to families. Now, Mr. Stephen Ritz, the teacher behind the program, is one of 10 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize, a new award designed to recognize the role teachers play in society and attract top candidates to the field of education.
Since 2005, his students have grown 30,000 pounds of vegetables. This is translated into a leap in attendance and a 50% reduction in behavioral incidents.
For more about Mr. Ritz or his urban farming program, check out this article from the Wall Street Journal.
via ABC News
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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