The BUGS 2010 Summer Program was a great success with 30 students participating in our 7 week experiential learning program! During the 7 weeks students had the opportunity to:
• Explore nutrition in the kitchen through the preparation of healthy & fresh lunches with vegetables they had planted and grown in the BUGS garden
• Work with other students to develop & operate a small business at the BUGS Farm Stand
• Develop a deeper understanding of nature, food & the power to make healthy choices
• Grow intellectually & physically through a variety of integrated art, literacy & kinesthetic experiences
• Establish a greater sense of community through sharing their harvest & experiences

Following are the results of our 2010 Summer Program Survey!
• At the start of summer, the average BUGS student said they “sort of” knew how to grow food. By the end of the summer program, the average BUGS student strongly agreed that they knew how to grow her own food.
• BUGS students started the year disagreeing with the statement: “I like the taste of fresh vegetables and fruits.” By summer’s end, these same students said they agreed strongly that they liked the taste of fresh produce.
• Attitudes toward eating at fast food chains shifted over the course of the summer. Students indicated at the start of the program that they often chose to eat fast food. By the end of the program, students no longer agreed with the idea of eating fast food frequently.
• At the start of the summer they strongly disagreed or felt like they “didn’t really know”
o How to compost
o How to identify bugs that help or harm a garden
o When and how to harvest vegetables
By the end of the summer program, BUGS students said they had gained confidence and knowledge about growing a garden and these same students agreed or strongly agreed that they had gained these skills.
• When asked, at the start of summer, if they read labels in order to know where their food is grown, BUGS students said they “strongly disagreed”—in other words, “No way.” By the end of summer, students said they were twice as likely to read labels in order to know where their food was grown.

Thanks for a great 2010 Summer Program and we are looking forward to the 2011 Summer Program that will begin mid June!