Union County Students Initiate 'Project Learning Garden'

From BML Public Relations:

Union Assistant Superintendent of Schools Annie Moses joined representatives from the ShopRite of Union, Dole Packaged Foods and the Captain Planet Foundation at Battle Hill Elementary School to inaugurate a Project Learning Garden at the Union school. All three organizations helped the school grow its existing garden into a Project Learning Garden with a special curriculum and more chances for students to expand their palates and knowledge of food and the environment. Students today planted hyacinth bulbs and got to taste test tomatoes and carrots from the garden.

Battle Hill Elementary School was awarded the Project Learning Garden after submitting an application to the Captain Planet Foundation. Dole committed resources to the effort in conjunction with a recently completed Earth Day program with ShopRite stores.

“Here at Dole, we understand the importance of teaching children the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet, whether they are enjoying fresh produce from their learning garden, or a healthy Dole snack,” said Larry White, Vice President, Sales, Dole Packaged Foods. “By partnering with the Captain Planet Foundation and ShopRite, we are helping more students learn about and develop healthy habits.”

“Anything can be taught in the context of the garden, and hands-on learning supports student understanding of natural systems, food origins, and healthy eating,” explained Leesa Carter, executive director of Captain Planet Foundation. “Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, and ensuring they are armed with an understanding of the natural world in which they live. We are thrilled to be working with Shoprite and Dole to provide Battle Hill Elementary School with a CPF Learning Garden!”

"We are proud to partner with Dole to provide this Learning Garden to Battle Hill Elementary School” said Perry Blatt, director of Village Super Markets, which owns and operates the nearby ShopRite of Union. "At ShopRite we are always looking for ways to improve the quality of the life for the families we serve, especially children, through education around nutrition and healthy living. Giving back to our neighborhoods is incredibly important to us.”

ShopRite of Union Dietitian Justine Hernandez worked with students to make a salad with carrots harvested form the school garden. She also taught the children how to make a pineapple vinaigrette dressing for the salad

“The garden provides students and teachers a chance to take their learning out of the classroom,” said Battle Hill Principal Mark Hoyt. “It provides a valuable opportunity for them to put into practice the lessons being taught in the classroom. By working with members of our learning community, we will continue to provide new and exciting learning experiences for our students.”

About Battle Hill Elementary School

Battle Hill School is a neighborhood school set on ten-acres of luscious land. Battle Hill School’s name was derived from its historical connection to the Revolutionary War, specifically the Battle of Springfield. Our school is a microcosm of the community and society in which we live. We foster the building blocks of friendship, acceptance of personal differences, personal commitment, and academic success.

At Battle Hill, our success is based upon the dedicated, caring staff and committed parents working together to ensure that all students have a positive learning experience.

Our goal is to create a safe haven for students, faculty, and parents. We provide opportunities for learning by building strong values, inspiring children, and providing the building blocks for a good education.

Battle Hill serves 425 students from pre-kindergarten to fourth grade. Through our reading, math, science, social studies, visual and performing arts, physical education, and technology curriculum, all our students can find a vehicle to express their strengths and talents so that they reach their fullest potential.

About Dole Packaged Foods

Dole Packaged Foods LLC, a subsidiary of Dole International Holdings, is a leader in sourcing, processing, distributing and marketing fruit products and healthy snacks throughout the world. Dole markets a full line of canned, jarred, cup, frozen and dried fruit products and is an innovator in new forms of packaging and processing fruit and vegetables. For more information, please visit here.

About ShopRite

ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With more than 260 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than six million customers each week. A long-time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite has donated more than $40 million to 2,000 worthy charities and food banks since the program began in 1999. As a title sponsor of the LPGA’s ShopRite Classic, ShopRite has raised more than $28 million for local organizations, hospitals and community groups. For more information, please visit here.

About Captain Planet Foundation (CPF)

Based on the critically-acclaimed animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers, CPF was co-founded in 1991 by media mogul Ted Turner and producer Barbara Pyle. Since then, the Captain Planet Foundation has played a critical role in helping to ensure that the next generation of business leaders and policy makers are environmentally literate citizens who leverage technology and information to manage and protect the air, land, and water upon which all life depends.

CPF is a grant-making foundation that has funded over 2,000 hands-on environmental education projects with schools and non-profits that serve children in all 50 U.S. states and in 23 countries internationally. More than 1.2 million children have directly participated in and benefited from these educational projects. In addition to its Small Grants Program, the Captain Planet Foundation also operates the following programs: Project Learning Garden, the Leadership Center, SAGES, Planeteer Clubs, and a number of other science education initiatives that exploit the intersections between technology, innovation, the environment and personal action. For more information, go here.

Images via BML Public Relations

(Image 1) ShopRite of Union Dietitian Justine Hernandez, left, and Amanda Fischer, also from the ShopRite of Union, right, prepare a salad for students of Battle Hill Elementary using carrots and tomatoes from the Project Learning Garden at Battle Hill Elementary School.

(Image 2) One of the planting beds at the Project Learning Garden at Battle Hill Elementary School in Union. ShopRite, Dole Packaged Goods and the Captain Planet Foundation collaborated to offer students the special garden and curriculum.

(Image 3) Anita Laverty, PTA President at Battle Hill Elementary School in Union, posed Thursday for a photo with her daughter, third grader Julia Laverty, and Captain Planet in the school's Project Learning Garden ShopRite, Dole Packaged Foods and The Captain Planet Foundation worked together to help the school grow its existing garden into a Learning Garden with expanded opportunities for children to learn about food and the environment.

(Image 4) Battle Hill Elementary School Principal Mark Hoyt talks to his students at the unveiling Thursday of the Project Learning Garden at the school in Union, NJ, where Captain Planet also made an appearance. Dole Packaged Foods, ShopRite and the Captain Planet Foundation helped bring the special garden and curriculum to the school.

(Image 5) Students from Battle Hill Elementary School work in the Project Learning Garden at the school.