Edible Schoolyard Teachers and Volunteers are WWL "Quiet Heroes"!

Edible Schoolyard volunteers and staff featured on WWL's "Quiet Heroes" segment.

Leading Educators Video features FirstLine LE Alumni

Check out this video from Leading Educators featuring many FirstLine educators! Leading Educators' mission is to support and develop teacher-leaders at open enrollment urban public schools to ensure high academic achievement and an aspirational culture for every student.  This two year program provides management training, visits to schools that are closing the achievement gap, and assessment tools to develop the skillfulness of department chairs, vice-principals, Deans of Students, team leaders, and other teachers in mid-level leadership positions.  Leading Educators was founded in New Orleans in 2008, and became an independent non-profit in 2011, thanks in part to funding from several national foundations, and is expanding to other US markets, starting with Kansas City in fall 2011.

Leading Educators Video from NOVAC on Vimeo.

PRESS RELEASE: Langenstein’s Announces Partnership with Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

New Orleans, LA, September 1, 2011 -- Langenstein’s, a 90 year old specialty foods market located in Uptown and Metairie, announced today an exciting new partnership with Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, to “change the way kids eat, learn and live” by sponsoring field trips and community garden visits. 

Edible Schoolyard NOLA was founded in 2006 as a way to promote a sense of pride and responsibility among local children for fresh, seasonal foods. The program reinforces social and environmental stewardship for more than 2,000 students at five public charter schools in the FirstLine Schools network.  ESY NOLA's specialized grade-level programming provides experiential learning through hands-on kitchen and garden classes and seasonal events that promote the food traditions of New Orleans.

 “We are extremely proud of our program and have always made enriching, hands-on experiences that are practical and educational for the kids a top priority,” says Edible Schoolyard NOLA Executive Director Donna Cavato. “We’re so happy to have a local, home-grown grocery sponsor to reinforce our values and to show our children the full cycle of how food gets from the garden to the store.”

In addition to hosting field trips in their Metairie location where students will learn from the butcher, produce and seafood managers, Langenstein’s will provide lunch for volunteers at all Open Garden Days through 2012.  Open Garden Days are open to the wider community to learn how to garden and compost, and has helped to care for the expansive garden at Samuel J. Green Charter School.  This year, the partnership will allow ESY NOLA to expand its Open Garden Days to Langston Hughes Academy Charter School for the first time.

“Langenstein’s is known for carrying local, fresh vegetables and fruits, in addition to the highest-quality meat and seafood in New Orleans,” says Trey Lanaux, fifth-generation of Langenstein’s. “We are also proud to support local nonprofits like Edible Schoolyard NOLA, and fully back their mission to teach kids how to live a healthier lifestyle.”

The Langenstein’s and Edible Schoolyard partnership will kickoff on Saturday, September 10, 2011 for Open Garden Day at Green Charter. Additionally, students from Green and Arthur Ashe Charter schools will be visiting the store later in the school year.

About Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

Created in 2006, the Edible Schoolyard New Orleans (ESY NOLA) serves more than 2,000 public school students across the FirstLine Schools network, at four (4) Kindergarten-8^th grade schools and one (1) 9th-12^th grade high school.  Children learn how to grow and harvest their own food in ESY NOLA’s edible teaching gardens.  The flagship site, an expansive 1/3-acre organic garden at Samuel J. Green Charter School, includes composting and worm composting (vermiculture), outdoor classrooms, a green living roof, native plants, a wetlands area, a citrus grove, row crops, and a butterfly garden.  The Edible Teaching Kitchen at Green is a hands-on classroom that brings abstract concepts from the classroom to life.  Grade-level cooking and seasonal food tastings incorporate ingredients from our very own garden and local farms.  ESY NOLA is the first replication of the original program founded by chef and food education activist Alice Waters in Berkeley, California. ESY NOLA helps children find a place at the table, and in the world, by nourishing their minds and bodies, building community, and creating a beautiful environment that stimulates students’ curiosity and desire to learn about the natural world, as well as the food traditions of New Orleans. www.esynola.org

About Langenstein’s

When Michael Langenstein and his sons, George and Richard, opened Langenstein's supermarket in 1922, their goal was to carry the best meat and seafood in New Orleans. Based on the suggestions of customers, the business slowly grew into the gourmet arena. In the 1970's Langenstein's began offering prepared food using old-fashioned family recipes. Now, almost 90 years later, Langenstein's is a 5th generation owned and operated business, proudly holding true to its original ideas, while still adapting to the needs and suggestions of loyal customers. www.langensteins.com

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Eat to Learn, Learn to Eat

Planting the Seeds for a Great School Year


Welcome to the first posting of a weekly blog about food happenings at Edible Schoolyard NOLA (ESY NOLA) and FirstLine Schools. My name is Justine Duchon and I am the In-House Dietetic Intern with ESY NOLA.

ESY NOLA is a signature program of FirstLine Schools dedicated to changing the way kids eat, learn and live. We integrate hands-on organic gardening and seasonal cooking into the school learning experience, culture and cafeteria meal programs. If you're interested in learning more, please visit our website.

ESY's work is reflected in the cafeteria where almost all of the meals are prepared from scratch.
Along with entrees representing our local food culture, each child receives 3 pieces of fresh fruit and 4 vegetables each day. All our school cafes also offer a daily salad bar option. We've also made the switch to whole grains. More than half of our grains offered are whole grains like brown rice whole wheat rolls. We're very proud of our food program, especially considering that over 90% of the children we serve are eligible to receive free lunches. Many live in neighborhoods that don't have grocery stores, making access to healthy, affordable foods a challenge. By offering these nutritious options at this school, we are also able to serve those children who are most in need.

New and exciting things are happening that I can't wait to share with you! First off, you may have noticed the title of this blog - "Eat to Learn, Learn to Eat." This motto represents FirstLine's commitment to nourishing the whole child. We know that success in the classroom starts with healthy, balanced meals in our school cafes. Our mission is to create healthy habits early in life to improve the health and well-being of our school children, and ultimately the community we serve. Food is a basic need, but we seek to teach, grow and eat good food that will nourish the body and mind and allow our students to grow up to lead healthy, successful lives.

You may already know that in the past month, all five of our schools have started classes. This includes our latest addition - Joseph S. Clark Preparatory High School. All of these schools have some level of Edible Schoolyard programming which may include: daytime garden and cooking classes tied to core academics, edible gardens on campus, food and health-related special events, and/or after-school cooking and gardening clubs.

We are looking forward to the start of the first culinary after-school program at Clark Prep tomorrow! Also, make sure you mark your calendars for Open Garden Day at Green Charter on September 10th from 10am until 1pm! There's a lot more t share with you this year including our Iron Chef Competition, Family Food Nights, menu study and survey projects in our dining cafes, and so much more. Stay tuned each Tuesday!

Green featured in recent TFA Video

This recent Teach For America (TFA) video was partially filmed at Green. As you watch the video, keep an eye out for Ava Lee (School Director at Green) and some of our students!

Delta SKY Magazine: Chefs Who Give Back

If you are out "flying the friendly skies" in August, check out the Delta Sky Magazine, page 73-74, for a photo of world-renowned Chef Emeril Lagasse and four of our Edible Schoolyard NOLA students at a New Orleans farmers market. This classic picture leads a story by Andrew Zimmern on"3 Chefs Who Give Back," including recognition of the philanthropic work of Chef Emeril in New Orleans.

Read the full article (and see the great ESY NOLA picture) here!

The Rebirth of Clark Highlighted on WWOZ

WWOZ reporter Zachary Young attending the July 9 "Rebirth of Clark Kickoff Event." Mr. Young filed a five-minute Street Talk story about the event, as well as Clark becoming a FirstLine school. Listen to that story here!