I have had the good fortune of teaching at Boston Green Academy (BGA) for the last 7 years, and I have been teaching in public schools in Boston and New York City for a combined 15 years. Prior to this year, I taught mathematics, covering everything from 6th grade fractions and percentages to 12th grade Calculus.

 

This past year I made a career switch from teaching high school math to our Learning For Independence Program (LFI). The LFI program serves students with a higher level of intellectual need than our traditional special education classroom.  We have an amazing group of students; their needs range from non-verbal students with Autism spectrum disorder to students who are extremely social and charismatic but just require a more individualized approach to be successful in school.  Much like the name suggests, in LFI we are focused on helping our students gain the necessary academic and life skills they will need to live independently beyond high school.  Our students spend a great deal of time working on concepts like financial literacy, job training, learning how to take public transportation, and self-advocacy.

   

I would like to preface this next portion of the application by saying that BGA is a fantastic school and an amazing place to learn and work.  It is a school that really strives to live its mission when it comes to empowering a diverse student body to become leaders in their communities, especially around issues of social and environmental justice. We put a premium and equity, and I really try and do right by all of our students and families. 

 

However, the LFI program has not traditionally had the same level of  learning opportunities as the rest of the student body.  This is a missed opportunity for our school and for our students, as well as an issue of equity and fairness in school.  The LFI students are a dynamic and intellectually curious collection of individuals, but unfortunately they are sometimes left out of school-wide green initiatives, wider community projects, and real-world learning opportunities.  Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has robbed our students of a number of opportunities that are really critical to their overall development and well-being.  Namely, they have not been able to engage in real-world, authentic learning opportunities outside of school.  Due to state-wide and BPS safety protocols, our students have not had the ability to leave school to practice all of the skills we practice in the classroom.  We have not  been able to practice the following skills:  taking public transportation; going to the grocery store to make buy groceries and work with money; improving our soft skills when we interact with unfamiliar people in the community; how to behave and act safely in the community, etc.  Essentially, all the necessary skills our students need to live independently and safely, we have not had the chance to practice in a truly authentic way.  Moreover, not having the ability to travel and leave school has deprived our students of having fun and building community within our own program.

   

This brings me to what I believe is the heart of the proposal.

 

Problem:  Due on large part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Learning For Independence Program and Boston Green Academy have been deprived of authentic, real-world learning opportunities over the course of roughly the last two years:

 

My Plan:  Costa Rica is known for its sustainable agriculture.  The methods used on small Costa Rican farms are focused on organic methods and their lessons can help us learn how to build and create a self-sustainable garden.  I’ve barely been able to maintain the plants in the garden at my house, so I have a lot to learn. 

 

Measurable Goals

1. Increase my knowledge of understanding of sustainable farming practices to then educate and teach my students the importance and skills of growing and farming. 

2. Support and empower LFI students to revitalize and operate the BGA outdoor garden.

3. Use my experience, knowledge and perspectives gained from this trip to further enrich and empower my students.

 

As far as the specific details of this proposed trip, I plan on taking this trip with my wife, who is fluent in Spanish, and my 3 children in August of 2022.  My plan is to volunteer through Academia Tica which is a Spanish-language school that also operates an organic farm. I obtained the following information from their website:

 

“La Esperanza” is an integrated organic farm that produces vegetables, eggs, cow and goat milk, cheese, pork meat and high-quality compost for sale in the national market. Many institutions and experts visit the farm to learn about the processes that are implemented in the farm, always in constant innovation. This farm is owned and managed by Anselmo Rodríguez, a farmer that started producing organic products in 1992. His wife and daughter also work with him. Anselmo’s farm is truly a model for farmers all over the world and he is the first 100% organic farmer from Costa Rica. He wastes almost nothing (his motto is “sell more, buy less”) and his produce is high quality. He has been awarded farmer of the year in Costa Rica and is recognized for his role as an example for farming in the future.

I want to thank the Pat Cooke Foundation for their time and consideration.  Choosing to select this project would certainly have a profound impact on my students and the Boston Green Academy at-large.  Thank you, and I look forward to your decision.