No summer lull in learning
On a sunny August day, a group of youngsters from Mission Hill leaned into the fence at a vacant lot and tossed in handmade balls of clay filled with produce seeds. It was a final action project in a food justice initiative at the Mission Hill Summer Program, which is supported by Harvard College students. The initiative brought together camp counselors, gardeners, local chefs, and other community organizations, like the Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project (REEP), to create a meaningful summer experience for young people. “It’s powerful for kids when they see teens and adults from their own community who are engaged around important issues like bringing healthier food to the neighborhood,” said camp director Jane Wang Williams ’13, who brought the idea of food justice to the camp this summer and fostered partnerships with community members to create the project. The seed bombing was one of the learning moments at 12 Phillips Brooks...