Community LJA Round Twelve Grantee September 13 th 2013

LJA’s Community Power Objectives Objective 1 Students at LJA will show a reduction in lunchroom packaging and food waste from fall 2012 to spring LJA will incorporate a Hydration System within the building to support a reduction in plastics and implement a system in which organics will be recycled/composted. Objective 2 Students will increase their knowledge and use of recycled materials to solve real world problems. Students will identify a specific problem, design and build a solution using recycled materials as part of their STEM class. Objective 3 Students will analyze recycling, waste reduction and household product toxicity with a gender, class and culture lens and will be able to reflect on how girls can be a force for behavior change in their own communities.

Waste Reduction in the Lunchroom LJA Scholars researched the intersection of nutrition, food choices, and packaging. LJA joined forces with Macalester students to evaluate the amount of lunchroom waste happening at LJA. The collaboration between the two groups resulted in a system that successfully supports Food to Hog’s and school-wide recycling. The GGG Club collected and analyzed pre and post data in the lunchroom by observing waste disposal behavior, packaging choices, and measuring actual waste. The results supported: Students advocating for lunch choices they would eat versus throw away, Students initiating an Electronics Fundraiser to support a push for reusable sandwich/chip bags from recycled materials, And a pledge to ONLY use reusable water bottles (Thanks to our Hydration Station!!!)

Additional Outcomes and Benefactors LJA scholars were the largest benefactors through the work of reducing lunchroom waste. Not only did LJA scholars work to create a system that values reusable packaging but also advocated for and were recipients of the Lifetime Foundation Healthy People Healthy Planet Grant. This grant covers all the costs to take out unhealthy ingredients from school breakfast and lunch. No preservatives, food colors, trans fats, bleached flour, etc.

Recycled Materials for Real Problems LJA scholars had the task to solve a real world problem using the engineering design loop. A constraint within the project was to use recycled materials to build their solution. Scholars shared their projects at the end of year STEM Expo. Not only were LJA scholars able to talk about their circuit toys/gadgets, but spoke with LJA Community and Family Members about LJA’s waste reduction initiative in and out of the lunchroom.

Additional Outcomes and Benefactors LJA itself and LJA’s Family and Community members were the largest benefactors through the use of re-purposing “junk” for learning. A request for items was sent out, and endless supplies arrived. LJA scholars received so many small electronics (phones, kindles, Ipads, I-pods) that they decided to donate them to GRC Wireless ( and earned money for our school.

Analyzing Environmental Toxicity a Race, Class, and Gender Lens LJA scholars challenged each other to critically analyze the quality of their neighborhoods. They then compared their neighborhoods to those of various cities throughout the United States. LJA Scholars also researched and read literature related to environmental racism and health effects, the toxicity of beauty products, and cultural and personal behavior. Great Resources – DoSomething.org Teaching Tolerance

Additional Outcomes and Benefactors LJA Scholars were the largest benefactors through the study of environmental toxicity and its relationship to race, class, and gender. LJA Scholars shared a sense of urgency – the need to have “real” conversations with community members and decision makers about the injustices they were researching and in return identifying in their own neighborhoods. LJA Scholars turned this disheartening information into action. Each scholar pledged to talk with their community/family about personal behaviors and help them problem solve ways to improve the health of their environment and themselves.

Reflections Community POWER has allowed LJA to authentically support our scholars in becoming advocates for themselves, their community and the environment. LJA scholars are active members in critically analyzing the world in which they exist – challenging the ways in which are known and creating new boundaries in which we should live.