From staff reports
Riverview Intermediate Unit (RIU) will be using raised bed gardens as a hands-on outdoor classroom learning laboratories to help students learn about nutrition and ecology as they put their classwork in science and mathematics into a real world setting with a grant from the Highmark Foundation.
Through the 2018 Highmark Foundation Grant, RIU students will engage in positive experiences, cooperative learning, and appreciation for their environment while learning skills in ecology and nutritional awareness.
“The Riverview Intermediate Unit is thankful to the Highmark Foundation and community partners for making this extremely valuable learning experience available to our students. Students will benefit greatly from the hands-on experience and lifelong skills learned as a result of this program,” Executive Director, Dr. Michael Stahlman.
The RIU will be working with local school district volunteers who host our classes and some neighbors to their schools in order to bring these gardens to life and give the students the opportunity to have the outdoor learning labs.
The program has the potential to impact up to 100 students in the first year and our hope is the program grows over time to have a positive impact for all our students.
Healthy eating and nutrition, as well as appreciation for the environment and gardening skills have shown through research to decrease stress and have positive impacts on mental health and depression.
“The Highmark Foundation is proud to support RIU as they begin the Outdoor Learning Labs project. I am truly impressed with their collaborative efforts that include school district volunteers and the local community.”
RIU has served the school districts, vocational-technical schools and non-public schools in its service territory for almost 50 years. The service territory covers about 3,200 miles encompassing a ten-county area.
RIU is a premier provider of special education services and professional development resources to our local schools and community, while being a liaison between the school districts and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.