FirstLine scholars compete in Special Olympics Bowling Tournament

Last week, Colonial Bowling Lanes in Harrahan, hosted a Special Olympic Bowling Tournament. Arthur Ashe Charter School, Samuel J. Green Charter School, John Dibert Community School at Phillis Wheatley, and Langston Hughes Academy, each had students participating in the tournament.

Each team bowled at least two games, and let me tell you, I have never seen so many strikes! A big congrats goes out to all of our scholars who participated, and to everyone who helped to make this even possible.

Our 4th graders at Green wrote a book!

Last Tuesday Samuel J. Green Charter School held the Big Class Publishing event. The event was a release party for a book penned by our very own 4^th grade Green Charter scholars. During the event all our 4^th grade scholars read their favorite excerpt from different stories in the book.

The book, titled “This is How it All Began: Animal Origin Stories,” tells imaginative stories of how different animals came to existence. Our scholars were excited and animated while reading the different excerpts. All the wonderful parents and guardians in attendance were delighted to hear the creative stories their scholars wrote. Our 4^th graders were very happy with their work and beamed with pride following their readings.

FirstLine would like to give a big shout-out to Big Class for publishing the wonderful stories our Green Charter scholars wrote. We would like to give a shout-out to all our Green Charter scholars for writing such creative and fun stories. We would also like to give a shout-out to all the awesome parents and guardians that came out to show their support for their scholars. We always enjoy the opportunity to expose our scholars to new experiences and celebrate their successes. We look forward to the next batch of great stories!

To get a copy of “This is How it All Began: Animal Origin Stories” please visit: http://bigclass.org/our-publications/this-is-how-it-all-began

For more information about FirstLine Schools visit www.firstlineschools.org

Follow us on twitter and instagram @firstlineNOLA and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/firstlinenola

Surgeon General Visits Green Charter

Our Green Charter scholars got a great surprise last Tuesday when the Acting Surgeon General of the United States, Boris D. Lushniak M.D., stopped by to give a presentation. Dr. Lushniak spoke to our eighth grade classes about the importance of active living, healthy diet, refraining from smoking and being leaders in their communities.

Dr. Lushniak’s talk was followed by a question and answer session with our eighth grade class. The students asked thoughtful questions about how Dr. Lushniak got to his position, obstacles he faced and what he was doing to stop the spread of disease. Dr. Lushniak was insightful, energetic and inspiring while answering the scholar’s questions.

After his visit with the eighth grade class, Dr. Lushniak took a tour through Green’s edible schoolyard and stopped in on a gardening class. He took time to speak with the scholars in the gardening class and answer questions. Moving from the gardening class, Dr. Lushniak also stopped in on one of our cooking classes to take in the unique program offered by FirstLine Schools.

We would like to send a big shout-out to our Green Charter scholars and staff for being gracious hosts for our guest. We would also like to send a big shout-out to Dr. Lashniak for taking the time out of his busy schedule to visit with our scholars and provide words of encouragement to our staff for all their wonderful work.

Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESYNOLA) is a signature program of FirstLine Schools, to learn more about ESYNOLA and FirstLine Schools please visit www.firstlineschools.org, follow us on twitter and instagram: @firstlineNOLA and like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/firstlinenola  

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

FIRST Lego League!

The FIRST Lego League has come to #GreenCharter! Earlier this month, Green Charter Scholars participated in the inaugural FIRST Lego League meeting. The team consists of six scholars in grades 6-8. The team meets twice a week to work together on building robots from lego kits and will eventually program the robots to perform different tasks for participation in a regional competition. The competition, which is a few weeks away, will showcase the team’s robot building and programming abilities. In addition to other factors, the team will be judged based on a research topic and presentation. Scoring is also determined by judging the technical aptitude, teamwork and sportsmanship of the group.

FIRST Lego League is one of many enrichment opportunities that FirstLine Schools offers to our students. The funding for Green’s team comes from our partnership with Friends of FIRST. At FirstLine, we understand that learning outside the classroom can be just as impactful as learning inside the classroom. Getting our scholars excited about learning is always rewarding. We look forward to future updates on the FIRST Lego League team’s success, and hope to add teams at all of our FirstLine Schools!

To learn more about FirstLine Schools and our variety of enrichment programs please visit www.firstlineschools.org/new-orleans-outreach.html
Be sure to follow us on twitter and instagram as well: @FirstLineNOLA and "like" us on Facebook www.facebook.com/firstlinenola

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

Hat Day for Kay!

On Friday October 24, 2014, two FirstLine schools: John Dibert Community School at Phillis Wheatley and Samuel J. Green Charter School, participated in “Hat Day for Kay.” Kay is a 3rd grader at Dibert at Wheatley who was diagnosed with leukemia last fall. Since her diagnosis, Kay has been undergoing treatment for leukemia and has been in and out of the hospital.In honor of Kay and in support of her family, The Dibert at Wheatley team organized "Hat Day for Kay". Scholars, teachers and other supporters, donated money in exchange for wearing crazy hats. Over $2K was raised! This was the second event held to support Kay. Last school year's fundraiser, Orange Day, was a huge success as well.

FirstLine Schools would like to send a shout out to The Dibert at Wheatley scholars and staff, as well as our Green Charter Scholars and staff, for rallying around Kay. We would also like to send a shout out to everyone who donated money toward the event. Finally, we want to send a HUGE shout out to Kay, for inspiring us and reminding us of the incredible strength of the human spirit! We look forward to seeing you back in class, Kay!

 To get involved and learn more about Kay please visit www.gofundme.com/9gocto

For more information about FirstLine Schools visit our website www.firstlineschools.org, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @firstlineNOLA and “like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/firstlinenola

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

Welcome To Wheatley Open House!

Need something fun to do this Saturday (October 18^th) that is family-friendly and open to the whole community? Look no further than the John Dibert Community School at Phillis Wheatley’s Welcome to Wheatley Community Open House! The event is taking place at the beautifully renovated Wheatley campus, located at 2300 Dumaine from 2 to 5 p.m. 

The event will feature a second line, food trucks, as well as presentations and information about our great community partners. We would like to encourage all community members to come out, bring their families and friends and enjoy all the fun activities.

This is the first year Wheatley has been open since the renovations began. Wheatley has a long-standing tradition of being open and active in the community. We at FirstLine are honored to continue this rich tradition and look forward to seeing families and scholars from all of our schools and communities. Community, food, family and fun, can’t beat it!

For more information about FirstLine Schools and other upcoming events please visit www.FirstLineSchools.org and follow us on twitter @FirstLineNola 

  Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

Meet Isaac and Jesse

FirstLine Schools would like to formally introduce two of the newest team members Isaac Henry and Jesse Short. Isaac and Jesse are both Louisiana Delta Service Corps members serving at FirstLine. Isaac and Jesse began their service at FirstLine in September and will complete their service at the end of July.

                   (Left: Isaac Henry. Right: Jesse Short)

Isaac is coming to FirstLine from Shelbourne Falls, Massachusetts. Isaac attended, and graduated from, the University of Vermont in Burlington where he studied political science. Upon graduating, Isaac served for one year as a City Year member in Baton Rouge. He came to FirstLine to serve as the Volunteer Coordinator. Isaac will be helping with the on-boarding of new volunteers and participating with volunteer recruitment.    

Jesse is coming to FirstLine from Omaha, Nebraska. Jesse attended, and graduated from, the University of Nebraska Omaha where he studied public relations and advertising. Jesse will be serving as the Technology and Social media coordinator for FirstLine. He will be working on different projects that involve social media and other internal and external communications projects.

We at FirstLine would like to welcome Isaac and Jesse to the team and look forward to having a productive year!

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

The Golden Tennis Racquet

On Wednesday morning, Arthur Ashe Charter scholars in grades kindergarten through 3rd, gathered in the school's gymnasium to find out who would be awarded the coveted golden tennis racquet. The golden tennis racquet is awarded to the class with the best attendance (at least 97 percent) for the week. It is a point of pride for our #AsheChater scholars and they are always excited to see who the winner will be.

The tradition of the golden tennis racquet is inspired by the school’s namesake, Arthur Ashe. Not only was Ashe a world-class athlete and champion, he was the embodiment of good sportsmanship and class. Ashe showed tenacity, humility and graciousness when competing. These are some of the qualities we strive to instill in our scholars every day. Traditions, like the golden tennis racquet, allow us to show respect for those who inspire us, as we set out to inspire others.




Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator. 

Market-to-Table at Arthur Ashe Charter School

The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans put on its annual Market to Table event with our third graders at Arthur Ashe Charter School. Local chefs work with students, sharing their passion and knowledge of cooking, to help create a dish with local ingredients from the Crescent City Farmers Market.

The day before the big cook-off, students ventured out to the Crescent City Farmers Market to purchase their ingredients. Then, on Wednesday, students and chefs worked diligently to create some delicious dishes to share with their friends and families.

 

There were eight stations, each featuring a pair of chefs, where the students joined in and helped prepare an array of dishes. Immediately, smiles came across the faces of the chefs and children alike as the day began. Some groups prepared appetizers, some main dishes, and others desert.

The groups were split up between the two teaching kitchens, which are beautiful facilities featuring stoves, refrigerators and prep stations, designed to teach our students and families about making nutritious and delicious food. Two of the groups set up in the hallway just outside the teaching kitchens.

Teachers and students walking by would stop to peer in and get a glimpse of the action and take a moment to appreciate the wonderful smells. The students all got the chance to go through different stations doing prep work, then cooking activities and finally, all helped with the cleaning duties.

After students and chefs were done cooking, everyone, including parents and guardians of the students, gathered in the band room to enjoy the food. The chefs set up a buffet-style line and served the students and guests, before partaking in food themselves. The room was filled with conversation and laughter. It was a great moment for all involved with the event to relax and enjoy one another’s company.

FirstLine Schools would like to give a shout-out to ESYNOLA for putting together such an amazing event. We would also like to send a shout-out to all the amazing chefs and volunteers who took time to come and get involved with their community and teach our wonderful students. Finally, we would like to give a shout-out to the parents and guardians of students who came to the event to show their support. Learning, community and food, can’t beat it!

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

Dibert at Wheatley Open House

John Dibert Community School at Phillis Wheatley held an open-house last Wednesday night. Parents, guardians, and students flooded into the newly renovated facility, some seeing the completed building for the first time. The school was abuzz with energy as students showed off their classrooms and current school projects. The open house gave families an opportunity to see classrooms and interact with teachers and staff. Teachers and other school staff could be seen sharing success stories and giving progress updates to the wonderful families of our students. Every classroom had students beaming with pride for their work and families were delighted with the progress they were seeing. The event had a large turnout, made possible by the dedicated staff and volunteers at Dibert at Wheatley.

At FirstLine Schools, we always enjoy the opportunity to bring our schools and community together. We look forward to more great events like this that get our students, parents, and guardians involved and excited about learning.

We would love you to stop by! Please join us for the Wheatley Community Open House, Saturday October 18th from 2PM to 5PM. 

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

The power of great teachers

Rita Pierson said, “Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” FirstLine School’s Sarah Bliss is that champion for an extraordinary student named Troy Simon. Ms. Bliss first met Simon when he was in the fifth grade. Ms. Bliss was teaching at a school in Houston set up for children who had been displaced after hurricane Katrina. Simon was one of those children.

Simon was not an exemplary student early on in his scholastic career. He struggled with fighting, paying attention and even showing up for class at all. Academics were also difficult for Simon, who did not learn to read until the age 14. After years of avoiding school, Simon decided he was ready for a change. While the path that lay ahead of him would be tough and there would be much lost time to make up for, Simon was dedicated to reaching his full potential and knew people were ready and willing to support him in his journey.

After an initial meeting with his high school, Simon reached out to Ms. Bliss, his fifth grade teacher. Ms. Bliss was instrumental in Simon’s progression toward educational success. Bliss continues to mentor Simon years after he first reached out for her help. It is because of their bond as student and teacher, mentor and mentee that Ms. Bliss was able to accompany Simon to the New York Times Schools for Tomorrow Conference in New York City. Simon was on a panel discussing new paths to college. He shared his story and the struggles he faced growing up in an impoverished household. Simon also spoke about ways to help kids from similar backgrounds get to and through college successfully.

Though Simon had a rough start to his education he is now a junior at Bard College in upstate New York. He is studying American Literature and hopes to be a fifth-grade teacher like his mentor. “I am so lucky to have Troy in my life. He is living what we as teachers hope and dream will be a truth for all of our kids- living to his full potential and reaching his dreams,” said Ms. Bliss. We at FirstLine Schools would ask that everyone join us in giving a big shout-out to Troy Simon and his mentor, Sarah Bliss. Stories like these are what fuel our organization to do our best every day and fully support our staff and students.

To hear from Troy, check out his video: I am what I learn: Troy Simon.

Jesse Short is a Louisiana Delta Service Corps member serving at FirstLine Schools as the Technology and Social Media Coordinator.

Clark Prep at the Loyola Wolf Pack Invite

The Clark Prep's JV Cross country team had a good start to the season at Saturday’s Loyola Wolf Pack Invite.  

In the men’s 3K, Shawn Bangham took 4^th place with a time of 12:36, James Scott took 7^th place with a time of 12:49, and James Prince took 23^rd with a time of 15:32. 

In the women’s 3K, Helen Williams took 14^th place with a time of 17:31 and Delia Madison took 15^th place with a time of 17:32. 

A total of five schools competed in the JV division. It was the 6^th annual Wolf Pack Invite and was hosted at Lafreniere Park in Metairie. A big shout out to our Clark Prep Cross Country team!

For more information about Joseph S. Clark athletics please visit http://clarkprep.org/athletics.html.

Watermelon Day puts FirstLine Students in Good Company

Watermelon Day is coming to FirstLine on Friday, September 19! LHA, Green, Ashe, and Dibert at Wheatley will be celebrating the local, healthy fruits in celebrations that are collaborations between FIrstLine and ESYNOLA teachers. Festivities will include educational games such as watermelon trivia relay races, fun activities like seed-spitting contests, and, of course, watermelon recipes and tastings. 

Not only is Watermelon Day special because watermelons mean pure summer joy for our kids, but because the farmers who visit are so inspiring. 

Farmer Ben Burkett--a fourth-generation farmer from Mississippi--and members of the Indian Springs Farmers Association have been bringing watermelons to FirstLine since the conception of the Edible Schoolyard at Green; this will be Farmer Ben's 9th Watermelon Day. 

When Farmer Ben isn't in the field, he's an activist, working to increase the income and enhance community development in some of the poorest parts of the south. In October, Farmer Ben will be awarded a James Beard Leadership Award for his support of the family farm and advocacy for the rights to wholesome food and clean water, air, and land. 

Join ESYNOLA and FirstLine Schools in welcoming this award-winning farmer! 

Also, the watermelons are delicious. 

(Pictures below & here's the link to the article again:

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/07/17/petal-farmer-get-james-beard-leadership-award/12788893/)

Get ready for Bulldog Football!

Joseph S. Clark Preparatory High School's football team spent this past weekend at Paul B. Johnson State Park, getting ready for football season. The training camp focused on building a strong foundation of teamwork and commandery among players and coaches. The Clark Bulldogs are predicted to finish at in the top 3 in District-3A for the 2014 season!

Bulldog football will kick-off the season, this Friday, August 29th with a pre-season game against Cohen College Prep. The game will be at 3:30 pm at Isidore Newman located at 1903 Jefferson Ave.

Get ready for Bulldog football! Click the image below to watch the Bulldogs gear up for another great season.

Go Bulldogs!

For more information our Joseph S. Clark Preparatory please visit www.clarkprep.org.

FirstLine classrooms incorporate Physical Activity Breaks into daily routines

Since 2011, School Health Connection has been working to train teachers throughout New Orleans to incorporate more physical activity in their classrooms. In spring of 2013, teachers and staff at Dibert, Ashe, Langston Hughes, and Green began incorporating physical activity breaks, known as “Instant Recesses,” into their daily routines.

One student shared, “Recess is short, so with Instant Recess, it gives us a chance to take a break and get our blood pumping.”

But what exactly is “Instant Recess?” These short breaks throughout the school day involve activities like yoga and dance and give students a chance to unwind and reset while engaging in healthy physical activity and bonding with their classmates. Students especially enjoy showing off their best dance moves to their classmates or singing along to the latest Calvin Harris and will.i.am tracks!

“Like all of us, children learn better and work better and their brains are more active when they are taking breaks occasionally,” said FirstLine CEO Jay Altman.

Besides numerous health benefits, these breaks can improve classroom behavior, memory, and concentration as well as re-engage and re-energize students, making for a healthier, more enjoyable school day. Check out School Health Connection’s video on Physical Activity Breaks highlighting some FirstLine students:

Meet FirstLine's Ben Franklin High School Class of 2019!

As the school year comes to a close, our eighth graders are looking forward to their next journey - high school. High school is an exciting time filled with increasing moments of freedom, rigours classes, lessons learned, and growing up.

Ben Franklin High School is continuously ranked at as one of the best high schools in Louisiana, with over 80% of their graduates being college-ready. A selective high school, that not only offers rigorous academics but also varsity sports and a wide-variety of after school clubs and enrichment programs, Ben Franklin is the top choice for many incoming Freshman in the New Orleans area. We are proud to announce that some of our very own Samuel J. Green Charter School and John Dibert Community School alum will be enrolled at Ben Franklin High School in the 2014-15 school year.

Meet our students and future Ben Franklin grads:

Ryan, an eighth grader at Green Charter was accepted into every single high school he applied to. Ryan chose Ben Franklin because of the opportunities the school would provide him. In addition to playing football (he's a running back), Ryan is excited about the academics and robotics club.

Jerson, also an eighth grader at Green Charter, decided on Ben Franklin over Lusher because of the freedom the school would offer. Jerson is only looking forward, excited to leave middle school and begin the next chapter of his life. Jerson intends to play soccer and football while at Ben Franklin.

Vinny, an eighth grader at Green Charter, chose Ben Franklin because his brother goes there. Vinny said, there "is greater potential and opportunity for me there." While some students make the decision in the months leading up to 8th grade promotional activities, Vinny has known he would go to Ben Franklin since the fifth grade. In the seventh grade, Vinny decided that he would focus on writing, refining his skills and perfecting his fictional short stories. Vinny has high hopes for next year, but is confident that Ben Franklin will be fulfilling.

For Kennadi, an eighth grader at Dibert, Ben Franklin has always been a dream. It was actually her mother who sent in her application. Kennadi is quiet and hard-working, skills she thinks will allow her to excel academically in high school. In addition to joining the softball and volleyball team, Kennadi is most excited about having a locker!

Kayla is ready for a challenge. She is very much aware of Ben Franklin's reputation and is eager to work hard. Kayla was also accepted to Warren Easton and the International School, but felt that Ben Franklin would be the best fit for her personality. Like Jerson, Kayla is excited about the freedom that high school promises. But she also knows as difficult as it was to get in, it is just as hard to stay in. Kayla intends to play volleyball in addition to joining the chorus club, swim team and debate team.

UPDATE: Kayla won President of the Freshman Class! A big congrats to Kayla and the Ben Franklin class of 2019.

Karrie, an eighth grader at Dibert and Kayla's sister, will also be attending Ben Franklin. Karrie's dream is to save the environment, to save our world. Karrie has joined theatre, speech, debate, softball, swimming and the animal conservation club.

Destiny and Jalyn, both eighth graders at Dibert, are ready for a more advanced and fast-paced learning environment. While both students were accepted into nearly every school they applied to, both agreed that Ben Franklin provides a diverse environment that will enable them to meet new people, learn new things, and have new experiences.

Donald Frank, an eighth grader at Dibert, chose Ben Franklin because it is "the best school in New Orleans." While Donald is not looking forward to studying, he is ready to move on in life. Donald has joined football, the video game club, debate and drama. All the students from Dibert headed to Ben Franklin have formed a study group. Donald is glad that he will have familiar faces next year, as well as academic support.

Donald Oliver, an eighth grader at Langston Hughes Academy will also be attending Ben Franklin this August. Donald has been at LHA since the 5th grade, excelling in particular in Math and Science. He earned high school credit by performing well on the Biology EOC and Algebra EOC, so he will be headed to Franklin ahead of the curve!

Thal'neisha Weston: Has been one of the top scholars at LHA since 5th grade, excelling in particular in Social Studies. She'll be entering Franklin with EOC credit in American History, allowing her to take advanced classes as a freshman!

Orange Day for Kay

In February, we found out that one of our second grade scholars at John Dibert Community School has leukemia. On Friday, May 30th, John Dibert Community School students, staff and families came together to celebrate "Kay Day." Clad in orange t-shirts, beads, and stickers, the entire school showed support for the incredibly hard journey Kay has before her as she fights cancer. In a single day, our teachers and scholars raised $1,311.13 for Kay and her family.


Teachers have been sharing a variety of resources to talk to scholars about this disease, and what Kay is going through. While the day was filled with stories of inspiration and love, this one in particular stood out.

A lower-school scholar had forgotten to wear orange in honor of Kay Day. The student overheard a couple of teachers discussing what the money was for. He quietly left the room and came back, proudly holding three shiny pennies that he had been keeping in his backpack. The student had not yet learned about money, but he knew he had some and that it had a better purpose than in his backpack.

As we continue to show our love and support, the staff at John Dibert Community School has set up a donation page to help Kay's family cover the financial costs that come along with being diagnosed with leukemia. To show your support, please go here.

Joseph S. Clark Preparatory High School Senior Lunch

Bulldog Alumni sent our seniors off with a congratulatory lunch! 

Soon to be Bulldog Alumni sat down to enjoy a late lunch with our current Bulldog Alumni. The program included an inspirational talk by Blair Boutte, spoken word from Clark Prep staff, Charlie Vaughn, words of encouragement from Pastor Fred Luter, Jr. and award presentations. 

As one chapter ends, another begins. We know that this is only the beginning of the incredible journey each one of our graduates will take. We want to wish them the best of luck! Senior Graduation is Wednesday May 21, 2014. 

Code Academy Attends 2nd Annual National WWII Museum's Robotic Challenge

"I've failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan

Meet the Dibert Team!
Jared, Macallister, Macailen, Jaylen, Marvin, Kayla, Jordan, and Greyson

These are words to live by. While John Dibert Community School's Code Academy experienced some failures at the Second Annual National WWII Museum's Robotic Challenge, there were a lot more success. 

With a team of fourth through seventh graders, Code Academy competed in the WWII Museum's Second Annual Robotics Challenge. Each of the challenges fit into a D-Day theme, as our team worked to program an autonomous robot to avoid beach obstacles, unload soldiers from a Higgins boat, and build a pipeline to the English Channel. Students competed alongside other teams from all over Louisiana along with teams from Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas. 

A big shout out to the John Dibert Community School Code Academy for both their success and lessoned learned!

The team visits the real Higgins boat after a successful day of programming.

Special Olympics Field Day at Arthur Ashe Charter School

This past Saturday, Coach Tamara Schuit and a group of coaches and volunteers held the second FirstLine Special Olympics event.  As Coach T describes it, “We watched with full hearts as students from Dibert, Ashe, Green, and LHA participated in basketball, volleyball, and track and field events with coaches, volunteers, parents and siblings cheering them on. SHOUT OUTS to our amazing coaches and volunteers Ms. E, Ms. Clayton, Ms. Meekins, Ms. Landry (and her son/daughter), and our ESY peeps Donna Cavato and Jess Bloomer who helped make the day a huge success!”  Thank you Coach T and team for making this happen.

Thanks to you, they've found the dirtiest job they'll ever love

"I woke up thinking about this party!"

"This is the best party ever!"

"This is the best job I’ll ever have!"

What are these third graders at Arthur Ashe Charter School talking about? Their Compost Employee Appreciation Party, of course.  

At Ashe, the Edible Schoolyard NOLA garden team “hires” student-employees to help with composting after lunch. Even though it’s technically a volunteer position, being a Compost Employee is a pretty big deal for a third grader. 

Interested students submit applications for the position. Then, each applicant has an “interview” with a garden teacher, which sounds something like this:

What Ashe core value will you be exemplifying by being a compost employee?

“I want to help my community and keep things clean and nice.”

Why do you want to be a Compost Employee?

“The more we compost the nicer our garden looks, and I want our garden to look beautiful.”

Do you have any responsibilities at home that show that you can take on more responsibility at school? 

“I sleep at home. I sleep like an angel.”

Next, the new hires (p.s. they all get hired) are trained, sometimes by the garden teacher and sometimes by a former Compost Employee, to perform their daily duties: teaching other students how to compost correctly (no plastic bags in the compost bucket!) and collecting all the leftover food from that meal to bring to the compost outside.

When you see a third grader pulling a dirty compost bucket off the lunch tables, it's not a punitive task for bad behavior, but a reward. These students take pride in their jobs, and they ought to because their jobs are important. Thanks to kids like these, ESYNOLA composts over 20,000 lbs of produce every year across five school cafeterias.

At the end-of-the-year Compost Employee Appreciation Party on Wednesday, the workers celebrated their term of service with a snack of seasoned popcorn, a mint and fruit spritzer, and a dance party. They each received a trophy for their efforts—a tiny golden Dixie cup with a plastic insect on top. During the award ceremony, it was the students, not the teachers, who spoke about why each Compost Employee should receive an award:

“He’s a good person and helps me when I’m sad.”

“She’s a really good friend.”

“She has a lot of integrity.”

“He cares about the community and the earth.”

At the end of the party, one third-grade Compost Employee told his teacher, “When I grow up I want to be a composter and a gardener.” It doesn't get much better than that.