From Waste to Taste

In Mercer County, at Hightstown High School, East Windsor Regional School District educators Peg Van Patton, Sam Barto, William Kamps, and Diane Tomori work with juniors and seniors to create several types of composting systems using waste from the high school cafeteria. Their project, From Waste to Taste uses a $5,150 grant from the NJEA Frederick L. Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education to allow students to experiment with the three most popular composters: enclosed bin, tumbler, and worm tower.

The courtyard area outside the high school cafeteria houses the compost bins, worm tower, and raised garden bed.  The students establish a rotation schedule for working in the courtyard, keeping records, and tending the bins. Students create publicity and press reports, set up an information booth in the cafeteria to educate students about composting, and create a campaign to educate students at other schools.

The composted organic soil is used in the raised garden beds and planted with parsley, basil, and lettuce. As suggested by the food service chefs, the team members may also plant early producing vegetables. All participants take rotating turns at weeding, watering, and harvesting the garden.

The composters are maintained through the summer so they can continue to produce valuable rich composted soil for the next school year.

For further information, contact:

Peg Van Patton
School – (609) 443-7738