Educational Outreach Program
In January of 2006 I went to Davis School in New Rochelle, New York (a special "kaleidoscope
school" featuring enriched programs for gifted and talented students in the 1st-6th
grades) to give a presentation on the Vertical Farm. One of their teachers, Mrs.
Bouchard was the organizer for my talk that day and to whom I express my thanks
for inviting me. I also want to thank Jay Dubner for making the necessary introductions
in getting me invited in the first place. I expected to stand in front of a lot
of young people for an hour or so and give a talk about agriculture and the need
for alternatives to growing food. What I got was quite unexpected. They interacted
beautifully with me and we spent the better part of three hours trading stories
about farming, Egyptian culture, the origins of farming, the role of animals in
seed dispersal, and waste management, among other subjects. Their grateful, charming
letters of appreciation reflect their "take" on my visit. I put them up on the site
for your enjoyment, and to demonstrate how ready young minds are for new ideas,
no matter how crazy the idea may sound. They understood my every word and the need
for re-inventing crop management in urban centers throughout the world. If any of
you have had similar experiences with young people, we would be happy to post your
encounters on our web site.
Dickson Despommier
Copyright © 2008 The Vertical Farm Project. All Rights Reserved.
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