Week one of our Farming For Resilience program could not have gone better. Wednesday Sept. 4, we welcomed Symonds Elementary back and new this year Cutler Elementary, to the program. In an effort to use peer to peer support, we fishtailed the new students from Cutler on to the end of the Symonds program. Our Symonds students (with almost a year under their belts) proudly showed the new students around the farm, as did I.
Personal highlight : sheparding the 22 children and 6-8 adults around the barns and paddocks...meeting horses, a sheep, goats, and dogs. The excitement was palatable and the laughter great. The personal joy I gain witnessing and hearing how the animals and farm can dramatically affect any one of us, is huge. One must simply be open to it. And these children are!
Cutler Elementary student quote : "I am not going to miss school on a Wednesday this year."
This summer, Stacy Linton (the other half of the working Farming For Resilience program) and I spent time weekly putting together our Farming For Resilience curriculum. Braiding what we do with the "Choose Love" curriculum, we use horses, farm animals and farming to teach and build on courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion in action. With the aim of teaching resilience building skills Stacy, myself and a large group of emapthetic and energetic volunteers, look foward to the school year with our eyes open wide and smiles on our faces.
Stay posted as we move through the seasons to come!
All my best, Christina