He named his idea "Project Sprout" and with the help of two other students co-founded an organic, student-run garden on the grounds of his high school.
For two years, Project Sprout has supplied the school's cafeteria with fresh fruits and vegetables. The garden serves as a laboratory for public school students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The garden, 3,500 square feet in size, also yielded over 1,000 pounds of produce to give to needy families in the region. To achieve his goal, Sam raised money for sheds and tools, and he sought donations of materials and seeds.
"I decided to start a garden at my public school," Sam said. "We knew that by growing the vegetables for the cafeteria, we could improve kids' health, and give them the opportunity to taste delicious fresh, organic food on a regular basis. We also knew that by bringing classes down to the garden, we could connect kids to their food, and, in turn, to the natural world." Sam believes that his school is "...the first public high school in the country whose students grow the produce for its lunches."
In September 2008, Sam spoke about Project Sprout at the Slow Food Nation conference in San Francisco. He has also inspired three schools in Martha's Vineyard to form a group and start a garden. His organization has partnered with a sister project in Uganda and Senegal, where they also grow their own food.
This year, the garden will triple in size and become a 11,000 square foot farm. They will be putting in 37 fruit trees, as well as many other plants.
Sam received first place in Action for Nature's (AFN) 2009 International Young Eco-Hero Awards. This profile was re-published with permission from AFN.
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