Arrowhead Elementary students and staff are proud to celebrate a big milestone: their Fork Farms Flex Farm had its first successful harvest.

To mark the occasion, the school and PTA treated staff to fresh salads made with greens picked right from their own hydroponic growing system, or Flex Farm.

“ It doesn’t get much fresher than that, and it was a delicious reminder of what our students and community can grow together,” said kindergarten teacher Shannan Haas Rehpelz, who’s spearheading the effort. “Thank you to the PTA and administration for providing the salad toppings and making this celebration extra special.”

Fork Farms is the company that makes the Flex Farms, which allow edible plants to grow indoors from seeds or seedlings to edible greens. Rehpelz thanks the VBCPS Office of Food Services and the Virginia Beach Education Foundation for funding the school’s two Flex Farms making the farm-to-table initiative a reality.

“Your support is helping our students learn where their food comes from, build healthy habits, and see what’s possible when a community works together,” Rehpelz said.

The most important mission of the division’s VBScratch initiative is for students to understand where their food comes from and why nutrition is so important, said Chef Rachel Amato, director of the Office of Food Services.

“ We work to engage students in nutrition education, so they have lifelong healthy eating habits,” Amato said, “and staff can be creative with the highest quality and freshest ingredients.”

Operating a Flex Farm requires some trial and error, said gifted resource teacher Claudia Wetmore.

“We had to test the water for dissolved solids, and make sure the pH level was right,” said Wetmore, adding that eventually students will be in charge of running the Flex Farms. The school’s Sustainability Club already helps maintain an outdoor chicken coop, garden and mulching operation.

Rehpelz said the school may sell the greens at family events, to pay for supplies.

“We want everything to be sustainable,” she said. Everything about the garden ties into Standards of Learning standards for all grades: plant lifecycles, renewable resources, and more.

“Students are mesmerized by it,” Rehpelz said. “It’s the perfect thing to tie together everything we want to do here. Kids can see where food comes from, and that healthy eating can be fun.”

 

The Flex Farm’s first harvest was rushed a bit by a power outage, so the school created the impromptu salad bar event for staff.

The best part?

They’re not done yet! Next stop: the cafeteria.  Soon students will get to taste the fruits (and veggies!) of this amazing project.

“We can’t wait to see their smiles with every crunchy bite,” said Macy Botelho, the school’s instructional technology specialist.

This project brings learning to life in a powerful way, said principal Dr. Michala Sumnick Virgili.

“Coming from a long line of farmers, I especially value the opportunity for our students to understand where their food comes from and the care it takes to grow it,” she said. “Our Flex Farms help students build healthy habits, explore science and sustainability, and connect with one another and our wider Arrowhead community. In a world full of processed foods, it is rewarding to see the excitement of Arrowhead students as our food grows right before our eyes.”

Want to help? Arrowhead Elementary is looking for volunteers and donated supplies for its Flex Farm, garden and other sustainability projects. For more information, contact teacher Shannan Haas Rehpelz at Shannan.HaasRehpelz@vbschools.com.