Program Overview by Gross Team Leader, Chef Molly Graham

Team Nutrition Leader duties are shared by: Janet Silmon PK teacher, Otis Bias 4th grade teacher, and David Tesch 1st grade teacher

RFS programming began - September 2006

Number of children served each month: 750

Monthly gardening classes are taught to 600 PK-2nd grades students with classroom teachers present.  RFS staff works to provide programming ideas and worksheets to teachers for the 3rd-5th graders who have access to the garden at all times.  150 4th grade students participate in monthly Chefs in Schools™ 

CIS students have been on field trips to Atkinson Farms, the SubZero/Wold Showroom and kitchens, Del Frisco's, St. Regis, The Houstonian and The Houston City Club.  

The 2009/10 RFS Story Writing Contest winner, Kiera Palmer, was from Gross Elementary.

Garth Blackburn-SubZero/Wolf, Bryan Caswell-Reef, Mariquita Combes-La Villette, Louis Cressy-City Kitchen, Jeff Everts-The Houstonian, Garret Fujieda-St. Regis, Chris Garcia-Houston City Club, Peter Garcia-El Meson, Chara Gafford-Urban Chef, Lauren Gockley-PerSe, Steve Haug-Del Frisco's

The Gross Recipe Garden: consists of 13 raised beds, a compost station and a garden shed. 

Wellness Committee Update from Gross:  The Garden and Wellness Committee has established watering schedule, workday plans and planting execution for the garden to involve all grade levels.  New outreach includes a stress management class for teachers and staff cooking lessons. 

Oct. 2007: Garden workday with 30 staff and students to beautify the garden. 

April 2008: 30 students, staff, and Jack and Jill volunteers refresh garden beds with new soil, and build a butterfly bed for the C.A.S.E. after school program 

Oct. 2008: 75 GE volunteers build six raised Recipe Garden beds, a garden shed, and beautify the garden. 

April 2009:  Garden workday for 30 staff, students, and 10 Jack and Jill high school volunteers.

February 2010: Fruit tree planting with Jack & Jill volunteers 

 

RFS programming at Gross won one of only 10 GE Volunteer Foundation grants given worldwide in 2009.  The $10,000 gift was used to enhance the Recipe Gardens and underwrite our programming at Gross for the 2009/10 school year. Houston-Galveston Area Council made donations to plant 5 fruit trees in 2010.   

RFS Team Leader, Chef Molly Says: "Students at Gross love to cook their monthly recipes at home.  In class, we reinforce the idea of experimenting with the recipes to change them to their taste and what they have in the refrigerator and pantry.  During each class, hands fly into the air as I ask if they prepared last month's recipe at home, and the experiences they share are wonderful.  In Chef Garth's class, we go a step further.  Each month, we begin with a discussion about new foods that each student has tried over the course of the month and then they describe if they did/did not like it and why.  The expansion in their vocabulary for tasting and describing food has been impressive." 

RFS Garden Teacher, Miss Clarissa says, "The Recipe Garden at Gross began with 6 pre-existing garden beds that were in disrepair, which we refreshed and expanded.  After we began Recipe Garden programing, the teachers and students have embraced their new, improved, expanded garden as a learning laboratory, which has expanded its influence tremendously." 

"Thank you for letting us pick stuff from the garden. I love the new recipes especially the cheese quesadillas." April Biagas, 4th Grade student at Gross 

"Because of their experience of RFS Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ the Pre-K students now enjoy eating broccoli and cauliflower. The Kinder and 1st grade students recently hosted a salad party that I attended. It was a great joy to see how many enjoyed eating the fresh veggies.  All that our students knew before was that vegetables came from the store.  Now they have a chance to plant and watch the vegetables grow.  The experience has changed their lives."