Mastic Beach, NY, June 24, 2014 – William Floyd High School recently welcomed local chef, Linda Slezak, an advocate of the Slow Food movement to demonstrate to the research and life skills students how to prepare a meal using organic eggs and fresh greens (broccoli and herbs) from William Floyd’s sustainable garden. Slow Food, the antithesis of fast food, is an international movement which strives to promote sustainability through farming, shopping locally and in-season and utilizing livestock for organic products.
The project was a culmination of the first year of sustainable gardening at William Floyd High School and a collaboration of many of the school’s departments including the research students who designed and managed the garden; the life skills students who helped with garden maintenance and learned about sustainability; the Regents chemistry class which tested the soil and the carpentry students who built the physical garden structures. The garden was constructed with assistance from Jeff Negron, a garden mentor from the Joshua Levine Memorial Foundation, an organization that works to establish and promote sustainable gardening practices with students in more than 25 east end school districts.
“The purpose of the sustainable garden is to promote sustainable living and responsible citizenship,” said Dr. Amy Meyer, William Floyd STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Educator and Research Program teacher. “Students learned a lot about farming organically and preparing fresh food.” She added that students also learned various gardening techniques and technology to help plants grow (rain barrels, aquaponics, etc.).
Pictured: Chef Linda Slezak supervises William Floyd High School research student Joseph Penna who is preparing fresh herbs for a sustainable meal. Slow Foods chef Linda Slezak speaks to William Floyd High School research and life skills students about preparing sustainable meals.
