A year after the devastating flood of 2016, H.E. White Community School and the surrounding community are rebuilding.
The flood demolished the school playground and septic system. H.E. White received a new septic system and the playground was completely rebuilt and finished in June with help from FEMA and the WVU Foundation. The high tunnel (greenhouse) is currently being constructed. Thanks to the WVU Foundation, the school will also have an additional outside gardening area.
The WVU Foundation graciously provided additional support for the playground and gardening program at H.E. White Community School. The students and staff at H.E. White are excited and can once again have year-round gardening. The WVU Foundation purchased a robotic garden attendant called a FarmBot for the H.E. White high tunnel. The FarmBot lets the students use computer guided technology to manage their raised garden beds.
It has been a year since the school’s high tunnel garden has produced vegetables that were harvested and served in the school lunch program. Students are eager to be able to participate once again in the Garden Project Based Learning Curriculum. The school has earth boxes for the classrooms and worm farms for the students as well.
As part of the Whole Kids Foundation family, the school is one of more than 2,100 garden programs in the US, UK, and Canada that are growing healthy kids. In addition, the school has been part of a grant from Action for Healthy Kids to promote healthy lifestyles. Innovation is a driving theme at the school and last Spring, H.E. White received a Level 3 Accomplished rating from the WVDE Office of School Improvement with the highest possible rating of Level 4.
There are many exciting projects transpiring for the students and the community. One upcoming event is through the WVU Family Nutrition Program where the students will receive a voucher to purchase fruits and vegetables from a pop up farmers market at the school. Great things are happening at H.E. White Community School! Strong alliances and partnerships are uniting the school, community and families for the continuous success of the students.
