L350 class to do community service

One IU class is reaching beyond the classroom and giving back to the community.\nStudents taking environmental biology L350 are required to complete 15 hours of service learning by participating in one of three projects. One class project involves teaching Fairview Elementary School students how to garden.\n“I think what this helps students do is connect with their community and the environment,” said research \nscientist Peggy Schultz, the class’s professor.\nSchultz said the project is a way to counteract the negativity usually associated with the impact humans have on the planet.\nA student in the class, senior Michael Link, said he usually meets with the elementary school students twice a week for about an hour. He said he spends the time teaching the children what plants and humans need to grow.\n“It gives kids an opportunity to learn about the environment and gardening,” he said, adding that it can serve as an outlet for the elementary school students.\nLink said he hopes that while the kids grow spinach, tomatoes, squash and other plants in their gardens, they also become more aware of the environment. He wants them keep in mind that humans are dependant on plants and the environment and to appreciate that there’s only one planet.\n“It affects everyone,” he said. “Everyone lives on \nthis planet.”\nThe idea was to build gardens and teach kids about gardening, said senior Joe McGibbon, who helped start the project.\nAs part of a project to complete a minor in leadership, ethics and social action, McGibbon worked with the Center for Sustainable Living, the Caldwell Center for Culture and Ecology and the teachers and administrators of Fairview Elementary to install eight 4-by-8-foot gardening beds. He said the gardens started in August 2007.\n“We live in a society where we don’t know where food comes from before it gets to the grocery store,” McGibbon said. \nHe said this makes it harder to be responsible and make healthy choices because people don’t realize what chemicals or antibiotics could be in food. He said these chemicals are sometimes unhealthy for the consumers, workers and the land.\nMcGibbon said beside the environment, organizers had social reasons for doing the project. He said the grade-school students learned to work together for the project. They also learned about nutrition and made a salad.\nHe said while learning in a classroom is essential, the children learn more when they’re engaged.\n“It’s a great supplement,” he said.\nLink said part of the project involved growing plants in Jordan Hall’s greenhouse. He said the plants started there will be sold April 19 as part of the Annual Rummage and Plant Sale. The money raised at the sale will fund a field trip to Bradford Woods for some of the elementary students, he said.\nBoth Link and McGibbon said they enjoyed working with the young students.\n“They’re not afraid to speak their minds,” Link said.