Credit: https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com/

Guest Instructor: Heather Holm

"Heather is an award-winning author and nationally sought-after speaker spending much of her time passionately educating audiences about the fascinating world of native bees and the native plants that support them. Her first book, Pollinators of Native Plants, was published in 2014, and her latest book, Bees, published in 2017, has won six book awards including the 2018 American Horticultural Society Book Award. Heather's expertise includes the interactions between native bees and native plants, and the natural history and biology of native bees occurring in the upper Midwest and Northeast"

Credit: https://www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com/about-the-author.html

Credit: www.instagram.com/beesnativeplants/

Oliver Kelley Farm Lab Site Visit

Students learned about modern farm/technologies for crop and animal agriculture at the Oliver Kelley Farm Lab

www.mnhs.org/kelleyfarm/activities/farm-lab

"The Oliver Kelley Farm is recognized as 'the birthplace of organized agriculture in America.'

Oliver Hudson Kelley and his family began farming the land on the banks of the Mississippi River in 1850. Kelley was the founder of the first successful national farming organization, the Patrons of Husbandry, better known as the Grange.

The Oliver Kelley Farm is a National Historic Landmark"

Credit: http://www.mnhs.org/kelleyfarm/learn

Target Field LEED Certification Site Visit-Congrats on earning recognition as the "Greenest Ballpark in America"!
Students learned about the LEED certification process and how Target Field was both built and continues to operate as a LEED Gold Standard sports facility.
LEED Certification means lower energy and H2O consumption and less waste!

YES! Team members and VANTAGE Global Sustainability Class enjoyed a site visit and cooking/eating with sustainable focus with the Good Acre Staff!

"The Good Acre is led by farmers who have been in your boots, instructors who have cooked in the kitchens, and specialists who have trained in the trenches. With a dedicated team with decades of experience in farming, logistics, training and culinary arts, we blend all the right ingredients to be your stable partner, expert resource and trusted guide. " Text Credit: https://thegoodacre.org/

Site Visit to Year Round Greenhouse

YES! Team members and coaches visited the UM Deep Winter Green House Prototype @ Lake City, MN on April 3, 2019. "What is a Deep Winter Greenhouse?A Deep Winter Greenhouse (DWG) is a greenhouse designed to limit the amount of fossil fuel it takes to grow crops during cold winters. DWGs are passive-solar greenhouses that rely on energy from the sun to heat the building instead of more traditional heating sources.There are a few important aspects of the design that make this possible. DWGs are built in an east-west position, with a glazing wall that faces south. This wall is specially angled, depending on latitude, to get the most possible solar energy on the coldest day of the year. The sun heats the air inside which is blown underground with a fan and stored in rocks. This heated rock bed is a thermal mass which acts as a heat battery and stores heat for when it is needed at night.DWGs in Minnesota can be used to grow crops that thrive with minimal light, providing year-round production capacity for small-scale farmers and gardeners. Crops well-suited to DWG production include a variety of lettuces, herbs, brassicas, asian greens and sprouts." Description Credit: https://extension.umn.edu/growing-systems/deep-winter-greenhouses UM Facebook: Deep Winter Greenhouse Group

Photo Credit: https://extension.umn.edu/growing-systems/deep-winter-greenhouses

VANTAGE TEAM "H2O FOR LIFE"!

The VANTAGE Project team will deliver:

*A report and final presentation that addresses the project objective and the key framing questions 1-6

*Work with Danielle Kruger to implement a fundraising project to raise money for a project in need.

"H2O for Life provides a service-learning opportunity for schools in the United States that helps teachers and students raise awareness about the global water crisis while taking action to provide funds for a water, sanitation, and hygiene education project for a partner school in the developing world."

Team YES! Supports the VANTAGE "H2O FOR LIFE" student team working with Danielle Kruger, H2O for School Outreach Coordinator at H2O for Life. "H2O for Life works with schools to create programs that raise awareness about the global water crisis, while taking action to provide funds for a water, sanitation, and hygiene education project for a partner school in the developing world."

H2O For Life Web Page

Fund Raising for H2O for Life and Other Good Causes!

Students in Global Sustainability Participated in a Snack Challenge for Spring Teacher Conferences. Each group created a sustainable snack for sale [10 bags per group] and designated a non profit charity of choice that they would donate proceeds to if the winning team. The winning team was selected as the team that had the highest profit margin on their product after sales! What fun!!

YES! Team Member Connie Liker Contributes to the Vantage Newsletter!

Team YES! and VANTAGE Global Sustainability Visit Spark Y!

FRESH. LOCAL. YOUTH-GROWN.

Spark-Y is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers youth with hands-on education rooted in sustainability and entrepreneurship.

Spark-Y serves its mission of youth empowerment through three branches: school programs, an annual internship, and an urban agriculture lab. These initiatives work together systemically, creating multiple touch points for youth engagement.