Edible Schoolyard New York

Demonstration schoolsdemonstration schools are sites where Edible Schoolyard New York is deeply rooted in the school community. At each school, all students learn from garden teachers and kitchen teachers in garden and cooking classes that are integrated into the school's existing curriculum. In these schools, the organization cultivates healthy relationships to food through the hands-on, positive, culturally relevant gardening and cooking classes that are at the heart of its program. The program reinforces its in-class work with cafeteria interventions, after school clubs, food distributions, and family and community programming, with a goal of supporting whole school wellness.the organization currently has two demonstration schools, at p.s. 216 in brooklyn and p.s./m.s. 7 in east harlem.p.s. 216, the arturo toscanini school in gravesend brooklyn, was the organization's inaugural demonstration school and site for their model garden and kitchen classroom programs and a custom designed kitchen classroom and half-acre garden. In april 2013 a second demonstration school was added at p.s./m.s. 7. This second site serves as a paradigm for a different type of teaching garden in New York, with a 4,000 square foot raised bed courtyard garden and kitchen classroom, and a roof-top garden and greenhouse.

Professional developmentthrough the professional development program, the organization invites educators from all over the city and beyond (since the adoption of virtual workshops) to learn the tools and curriculum to incorporate Edible education into their own classrooms. The program also includes supporting selected schools and partner organizations through site visits and professional development sessions designed specifically for partner groups

Network schoolsin fall 2015, the network schools program was launched as a way of expanding Edible education programming to more schools. The network schools program brings seed-to-table education to schools in the bronx and brooklyn. Network schools expand on the demonstration school model to make food education accessible to even morenyc kids. They are in neighborhoods identified by the nyc department of health as having high rates of diet-related diseases and large numbers of children from low-income families. The organization works closely with network school staff and communities to expand gardens, add kitchen classes, and promote a vibrant culture around healthy food. Network school communities learn to grow and manage their own Edible educationprograms. Each school's program is unique, based on the community's needs, goals, and resources, and is led by one organization teacher or foodcorps service member and overseen by an organization program manager.in september 2018, the organization added a New network school, p.s. 218 in the south bronx. Brighter choice community school was added in september 2019. In the 2019-20 school year, the organization had six network schools, but decided to leave p.s. 218 due to changes in programming due to the coronavirus pandemic ("covid-19"). The organization worked with five network schools in 2021-2023, three in brooklyn and two inthe bronx

Program evaluation - the organization is focused extensively on evaluating impact, starting with defining outcomes and using existing research and the organization's experience to inform the work. The evaluation strategy and outcomes framework were first implemented in spring 2014. The current system includes data collection and analysis of both quantitative outputs and outcomes as well as qualitative data. The organization's key outcomes assess students' healthy eating attitudes and behaviors, socio-emotional development, and food and environmental justice commitment; schools' food environment and integration of garden and cooking lessons; and educators' capacity and desire to lead cooking and gardening programming. Measurement tools include student, teacher, and professional development workshop participant surveys, qualitative interviews, quotes, and anecdotes from students, families, and school staff, and weekly outputs tracking. In 2017, the organization completed a 4-year research study in partnership with teacher's college at columbia university. Partner schools - in september 2018, the organization merged with the bubble foundation. The organization now implements bubble's Edible education programming in bubble's 14 schools citywide. These schools were called partner schools. The merger, which was aligned with the goals of the organization's New strategic plan, served as an opportunity to consolidate the two organizations' efforts, increase their footprint, and become a model for collaboration, not only in the nutrition education space, but in the nonprofit sector as a whole. By combining bubble's proven curriculum and network of schools with the organization's in-depth service model, data-driven approach, and resources, more students received meaningful nutrition and wellness education. The organization supported partner schools with curriculum integration, capacity building, and developing a schoolwide culture of health and wellness.in september 2019, one of the partner schools, brighter choice community school in brooklyn became a network school.