Welcome to an inspiring story about a teacher who is transforming lives in the South Bronx. This isn’t just about farming; it’s about education, community, and hope. Let’s dive into how one teacher is making a difference.
In the South Bronx, many children face tough challenges. Jobs are scarce, and the environment can be harsh. It’s often called a “desert” because of the lack of resources. But Stephen Ritz, a passionate teacher, sees things differently. He believes that kids shouldn’t have to leave their community to find better opportunities. Instead, they can grow and thrive right where they are.
Stephen’s journey began with a simple idea: bringing nature into the classroom. With the help of George Irwin from Green Living Technologies, he introduced a unique concept called the “edible wall.” This wall is not just a decoration; it’s a living, breathing garden that students can learn from and enjoy.
In Stephen’s classroom, students plant seeds and watch them grow into thriving plants. These aren’t just any students; many face learning challenges and come from low-income families. Yet, they are eager to learn and participate. The edible wall became a tool for hands-on learning, teaching students about science, nutrition, and sustainability.
The success of the edible wall didn’t stop in the classroom. Stephen and his students took their knowledge to new heights, literally. They installed a green wall on the John Hancock building in Boston, showcasing their skills and determination. Back home, they continued to transform schools with modern technology and sustainable practices.
The impact of this project goes beyond education. Students are learning valuable skills that can lead to jobs and careers. They are part of the youngest nationally certified workforce in America, creating beautiful landscapes and contributing to their community’s growth.
Stephen’s work is about more than just plants; it’s about building a better future. His students are now involved in projects that provide affordable housing and improve their neighborhoods. They are learning to give back, using proceeds from their farmer’s market to help those in need.
The Green Bronx Machine, as it’s now known, is a movement. It’s about growing food, growing minds, and growing communities. Students are learning where food comes from, expanding their vocabulary, and understanding the world around them. Attendance has skyrocketed, and many students are now pursuing higher education and careers.
Stephen Ritz and his students are proving that change is possible, even in the most challenging environments. They are growing organic citizens and engaged learners. With your support, they can continue to inspire and transform lives. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for all.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s keep growing and making a difference!
Design and build a small-scale edible wall using recycled materials. Research different plants that can thrive in your climate and choose a variety to plant. Document the growth process and reflect on the challenges and successes you encounter. Share your findings with the class.
Identify a local community issue related to sustainability or food security. Develop a project proposal that addresses this issue using concepts from the Green Bronx Machine. Present your proposal to the class, highlighting potential impacts and benefits for the community.
Research and create a virtual tour showcasing innovative sustainable practices from around the world. Include examples like green walls, urban farming, and renewable energy projects. Present your tour to the class, explaining how these practices can be applied locally.
Reach out to a local expert in sustainability, urban farming, or community development. Conduct an interview to learn about their work and its impact on the community. Prepare a report or presentation to share your insights with the class.
Work in groups to design a plan for a school garden that incorporates elements of sustainability and education. Consider factors like location, plant selection, and maintenance. Present your plan to school administrators and propose ways to involve the student body in the project.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
[Music][Applause]
Good afternoon! I am not a farmer; I’m a parent, a resident, and a teacher, and this is my world. Along the way, I’ve started noticing that I’m on my third generation of kids who are getting bigger and sicker. In addition to these complexities, I just learned that seventy percent of the kids I see who are labeled learning disabled would not have been if they had proper prenatal nutrition.
The realities of my community are simple. Kids should not have to grow up in challenging environments. As jobs continue to leave my community and energy is exported, it’s no wonder that some people refer to the South Bronx as a desert. But I’m the oldest sixth grader you’ll ever meet, so I get up every day with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm that I hope to share with you all today.
With that note, I come with the belief that kids should not have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn a better one. So, I’m here to tell you a story about me and this wall that I met outside, which I’m now bringing inside. It starts with three people: the enthusiastic teacher (that’s me), my passionate borough president, and a guy named George Irwin from Green Living Technologies, who helped me with my class and got me involved with this patented technology.
It all starts with seeds in classrooms, and I’m here today hoping that my reach will exceed my grasp. This is really what this is all about, and it starts with incredible kids who come early and stay late. Most of my kids are either IEP or ELL learners, many come with significant challenges, and almost all live below the poverty line. But with those seeds from day one, we are growing in my classroom.
You can see how attentive these kids are to these seeds, and then you notice that those seeds become farms across the Bronx. But again, I am not a farmer; I’m a teacher, and I wanted to figure out how to get this kind of success into something small that could be brought into my classroom so that all kids could have access. So, I called George Irwin, and he came to my class, and we built an indoor edible wall.
We partnered with authentic learning experiences and project-based learning, and lo and behold, we gave birth to the first edible wall in New York City. The kids loved the technology, so we decided to learn more. We went to Boston, and my kids from the poorest congressional district in America became the first to install a green wall designed by computer, 21 stories up on top of the John Hancock building.
Closer to home, we started installing these walls in schools with real LED lighting and 21st-century technology. We made 21st-century money, and this is my harvest! We cook the food we grow, and those are my students making heirloom sauce. We get it into the cafeteria, and we feed our teachers.
This is the youngest nationally certified workforce in America, and we got invited to the Hamptons, where we started putting in rooms that looked amazing. When kids from destitute neighborhoods can start building landscapes like this, people notice.
We moved into the Hamptons, learned how to surf, and my kids put in technology that transformed spaces. This is where it becomes true triple bottom line work. Contractors realized that these kids had the skills needed to build affordable housing for New Yorkers right in our neighborhood.
My kids are now licensed and trained, and they are making a difference in their community. We took neighborhoods that were abandoned and turned them into vibrant spaces. When the Bronx Borough President and state senators come to our class, it makes the kids feel important and shows that the Bronx can change attitudes.
We are poised, ready, willing, and able to export our talent and diversity in ways we’ve never imagined. We realized we were growing for food justice in the South Bronx, and my kids represented at the first international green roof conference.
We met incredible people who helped us roll out gardens to New York City public schools. A year ago, I was invited to the New York Academy of Medicine, and my school was awarded the first-ever high school award of excellence for creating a healthy school environment.
More importantly, as my kids learned to give, we took the money from our farmer’s market and started buying gifts for the homeless and those in need around the world. We realized that the greening of America starts first with the pockets, then with the heart, and then with the mind.
Thank you to Trinity Wall Street for supporting the birth of Green Bronx Machine. We are now three thousand strong, teaching kids to envision their community. When they grow up in places that look like this, they can imagine it looking like this.
It starts in schools, and we are teaching kids how to garden and grow food. We are building teepees in neighborhoods that were once struggling. We can do this! Our gardens are feeding hundreds of people without requiring food stamps or fingerprints.
When kids learn where food comes from, they expand their vocabulary and understanding of the world. We are creating accountability among peers, and this is our weekly paycheck for kids.
We are proving that you can grow anywhere, even on cement. We take orders for flowers and are learning everything we can. When kids from diverse backgrounds come together to do something special, we create incredible moments.
You may ask about these kids: attendance has increased from 40% to 93%. They are now in college, earning a living wage, and the rest are scheduled to graduate this June.
We are growing organic citizens and engaged kids, and we need your help to continue this work. Let’s make America great again by sharing our passion and supporting our youth.
Thank you for your time, and let’s continue to grow our way into a new economy. God bless you, and enjoy the day!
[Applause]
Education – The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university, with a focus on developing knowledge and skills. – Education in environmental studies helps students understand the impact of human activities on the planet and how to mitigate them.
Community – A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common, often working together towards common environmental goals. – The local community organized a clean-up event to remove litter from the riverbank and promote environmental awareness.
Sustainability – The ability to maintain ecological and social systems over the long term, ensuring that resources are used responsibly and efficiently. – Implementing sustainability practices in agriculture can help preserve soil health and biodiversity for future generations.
Nutrition – The process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth, with an emphasis on sustainable and environmentally friendly food sources. – Understanding the nutrition of locally grown produce can encourage more sustainable eating habits and reduce carbon footprints.
Science – The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. – Environmental science explores the interactions between the Earth’s systems and human activities to find solutions to ecological problems.
Gardening – The practice of growing and cultivating plants as part of horticulture, often used to promote environmental education and sustainability. – School gardening projects can teach students about biodiversity and the importance of sustainable food production.
Challenges – Difficulties or obstacles that need to be overcome, often related to addressing environmental issues and implementing sustainable practices. – One of the major challenges in environmental education is engaging students in meaningful actions that lead to real-world change.
Skills – The ability to do something well, often acquired through training or experience, particularly in the context of environmental problem-solving. – Developing skills in critical thinking and data analysis is essential for students pursuing careers in environmental science.
Future – The time yet to come, often considered in terms of planning and preparing for sustainable development and environmental conservation. – Educating young people about climate change is crucial for ensuring a sustainable future for the planet.
Growth – The process of increasing in size, number, or importance, often used in the context of economic or ecological development. – Sustainable growth in urban areas requires careful planning to balance economic development with environmental preservation.
