Historic Fair Hill was thrilled to share our green space this summer with our Friends at the Ujima Friends Peace Center for their Summer Freedom School. The campers spent two days a week enjoying the beauty of the grounds while learning about science.
The middle-school aged group of 22 students learned about gardening and food justice from our amazing gardening team. The students also helped harvest and prepare food for the farm stand each week.
The students also became water stewards, learning about watersheds, wetlands, and underground streams. The students participated in land use activities and discussed issues of water equity. Aaron taught the students all how to do a soil ribbon test in the field, to easily determine what kind of soil exists in an area. In our evaluation afterward, students said they were “surprised” they liked playing in the mud and learning about soil!
Our partner at Ujima Friends Peace Center, founder and head of school, Dr. Ayesha Imani, reported that the children talked of feeling safe and happy and feeling more confident overall. And, the students were so inspired by their time at Historic Fairhill that they are actively cultivating a relationship with the city to get some gardens near the Peace Center.
Historic Fair Hill was even able to connect the campers with our friends at the Philly Goat Project, whose home base is located at Historic Germantown partner, Awbury Arboretum. The students visited the daylighted Wingohocking Creek on Awbury’s property and got to hang out with, snuggle, and walk some goats. Some brave students even practiced some “goat yoga” poses.
We look forward to continuing to partner with the Ujima Friends Peace Center and Sankofa Freedom Academy for future endeavors!
