Not-for-profit organisation Seed Harvest Spoon will be returning to local primary schools, Melrose Park and Telopea, to deliver an expanded child-focused environmental education program in 2016.
The Seed Harvest Spoon program engages students, teachers and parents in hands-on learning in an outdoor classroom environment. Working with both schools over the next three years, Seed Harvest Spoon educators will deliver their unique program one day a week in each sSchool. The program is taught across each school with all students from Kindergarten to Year Six participating.
‘We are very excited to be returning to Telopea and Melrose Park Public Schools this year. We are looking forward to getting back to the garden and getting our hands dirty,” says Seed Harvest Spoon Program Director, Michelle Carrick.
‘It is fantastic to know that we have three years ahead of us to do some really good work with the children and to build strong relationships with the community,” Ms Carrick said.
Seed Harvest Spoon works closely with school staff and community to make sure that the program is responsive and relevant to the children’s and community’s interests.
Seed Harvest Spoon has previously delivered funded components of their program at Telopea Public School.
Pip Martins, Local Facilitator ‘Schools as Community Centres’ Project (SaCC) welcomes their return in 2016.
‘Our experience with Seed Harvest Spoon to date has been excellent. We are really looking forward to the opportunity to continue working with them so that the children’s skills and knowledge can be built upon,” Ms Martins said.
Both Seed Harvest Spoon and the school are very grateful to funding partner PAYCE for the generous three year funding the company is providing for the program.
Last September, leading Australian property and investment company, PAYCE announced Telopea public School was one of three schools that would benefit from a $200,000 sponsorship partnership with Seed Harvest Spoon.
PAYCE Managing Director, Brian Boyd said PAYCE was excited to be part of a education program that showed young children the importance of the natural world and how healthy eating choices contributed to a healthy life.
“Telopea has developed a wonderful garden and PAYCE is pleased to provide the necessary funds and support of Seed Harvest Spoon to keep the good work going,” he said.
PAYCE General Manager, Dominic Sullivan said the program has the added benefit of promoting active community engagement through working bees, school excursions, local volunteering and even community events within the gareden itself.
“With Seed Harvest Spoon now on board, the school now has the benefit of professional tutorship and mentoring by a very experienced and enthusiastic team of educators in this specialised field,” he said.
Watch this video to hear more about what the students and teachers at Telopea have to say about having the Seed Harvest Spoon Program at their school.
For more information about Seed Harvest Spoon and their programs please contact info@seedharvestspoon.com.au or visit the website, www.seedharvestspoon.com.au.
