Rayitos de Sol Garden
It may be summer vacation, but the students at Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare haven’t stopped learning!
This spring, the students of Rayitos de Sol planted their very own garden! With support from Incredible Edibles, a local initiative started by Women for Healthy Whirl Living (WHRL) to create public vegetable gardens and educational opportunities, the students were able to bring their learning to life-literally!
Juana Rodriguez, the Mano en Manos Interim Executive Director and Director of Rayitos de Sol, shared that:
“The garden was started with the idea that we can teach our students about where our food comes from and have them take an active part in the entire process- from planting, to growing, harvesting and eating! It also provides an opportunity for parents and caregivers to take some of the vegetables so that students can bring their learning home with them.”
Veggies planted include: cilantro, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers. The garden is located outside of the Mano en Mano offices.
Leah Kirshman, the Head Teacher at Rayitos de Sol adds,
“Planting the garden was a bit messy! Our participants really liked planting the seeds, and there was alot of playing in the soil. However, I think that the best part is how excited they are to see things continuing to grow. They see everyday how the plants are growing and changing and even a few have tried the cilantro- we are almost ready to harvest some zucchinis!”
Another goal of the garden is to encourage healthy eating and a connection to food. Juana says,
“The garden provides lots of opportunities for learning, but one of them is for the opportunity to taste new things and try new foods. It gives kids a sense of connection to what they are eating because they took care of it from when it was a seed, and then it is on their plate! The garden encourages children and parents to try the healthy foods they have been caring for, and try new things!”
It is the goal that the garden will continue to grow alongside Rayitos and continue to be part of the learning curriculum as the center develops. In 2022 Rayitos de Sol is planning on expanding into a larger space in order to serve more children and families in the Downeast area.
Juana shares,
“We are hoping that the garden will be something that students can interact with each day and as we grow, we can incorporate a larger variety of foods. If students are eating healthy at school and at home, it will make all of our communities stronger.”
If you are interested in supporting Rayitos de Sol, please consider donating here.
For more information, please contact our Offices at (207) 546 3006
