New Experiences After School: Winooski’s JFK Elementary Explores Sustainability

From a distance, the dark, leaf-littered pond behind Winooski’s JFK Elementary School may not look full of life. But take a closer look with Shelburne Farms educator Courtney Mulcahy as your guide and you’ll see it in a whole different way. That’s exactly what happened one afternoon this spring when students in JFK’s afterschool program explored their school campus to make local connections to a global issue: protecting life below water.

This semester, a group of second through fifth-grade students in JFK’s afterschool program learned about their community through the lens of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, topics including life above and below water, climate action, and food systems. The semester-long program was part of an ongoing partnership between Shelburne Farms and the Winooski School District, which includes summer learning opportunities for students and teachers on our working farm campus.

“Every young person needs to be engaged in the important work of imagining a more sustainable world,” says Shelburne Farms director of professional learning Jen Cirillo. Winooski is one of the most diverse municipalities in Vermont and approximately 20 different languages are spoken in the district. Exploratory-type programs can make an impact on any learner, but can be especially impactful for multilingual learners. Hands-on experiences help solidify – and expand – language and literacy skills by connecting to prior knowledge or bringing up new vocabulary anchored in something learners have seen, touched, tasted, or done.

Activities included taste-testing fresh vegetables; identifying plants and amphibians near the school; and, in a memorable class led by educator Courtney Mulcahy, learning about different forms of energy, then designing and building solar-powered ovens. “Being able to connect the goals of climate action and sustainable energy to actually doing something and seeing it work – that was a highlight,” says Jen.

The program adapted these activities from Shelburne Farms publications including Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Kids, underscoring that a deep sense of place can be nurtured no matter the setting (in this case, a more urban campus with access to green spaces, Jen explains). Forming connections to place is a key part of Education for Sustainability, the approach underpinning all of Shelburne Farms’ school programming. “Connecting concepts and knowledge to place with hands-on activities makes learning really practical and meaningful,” says Jen.

Afterschool director Suzanne Skaflestad says students enjoyed the opportunities for hands-on learning. “Every time I visited the afterschool program, I saw all students engaged in cool activities and having fun, talking, and laughing together, a great way for students to end their day. The students’ weekly attendance was consistent, which is an excellent indicator of their connection to the staff and the activities.”

The semester ended with a trip to Shelburne Farms, pictured above. “Watching the students interact with nature and all of the animals was really nice to see,” said JFK educator Caitlyn Batche. “The trip was a meaningful celebration. There were multiple students that had never been to Shelburne Farms before,” said Suzanne. “It was a pleasure to collaborate with Jen and Courtney to bring this afterschool program to the JFK Elementary students. Their flexibility, creativity, and positivity provided a welcoming environment for our students.” Adds Suzanne, “One student remarked, ‘Every single activity made me happy.’”

Our partnership with Winooski School District continues this summer. Thank you to our collaborators at WSD and to the students and families who participated in this program. Find more information about our school programs.