Lakewood City Schools
Help To Others (H2O)
A program of the City of Lakewood/Department of Human Services/Division of Youth in partnership with Lakewood City Schools. H2O promotes community service through youth volunteer programs.
SEE worked with H2O Summer Service Camp of roughly 200 youth. SEE staff presented a hands on lesson to campers on decomposition, vermicomposting, the soil ecosystem, and directed the building of vermicomposting bins.
The vermicomposting bins were maintained by the campers during the summer. They collected food waste on a daily basis to be added to the bins. Compost generated was made into nutrient rich compost tea and was used in their vegetable gardens.
Their efforts will save landfill space, prevent methane from entering the atmosphere, and build local soil fertility.
Here is a letter one of the campers wrote about his experience with SEE:
This past year at H2O, we had speakers come in to give us a little lesson on recycling...and worms. Sustainability for Educators and the Environment were kind enough to share with us their knowledge of a different kind of recycling- worm bins. The premisce is, you take a large container, fill it with a little dirt, add worms and you have a comletely indescrutible eating machine, right? Wrong. Worms, just like us, are creatures too. And, just like us, they need special care. From the specific types of organic material the worms can digest to the moisture level in the container to even the amount of citrusy foods you place insidde for the worms to consume. For me, as a camper, it reminded me of the symbiotic, you scratch my back I scratch yours relationships we consistently find in the wild, like a shark and a remora fish. But this time, its worms and humans, working together for the greater goood of the planet. It was an experience I’ll remember forever, and again, I thank S.E.E. for their time and effort.
Jon
