86 families provided completed parent surveys and their findings
are listed below.
80% of parents surveyed indicated that, within the home, students are displaying an increased knowledge of vegetables, where they come from and how they are grown.
50% of parents surveyed indicated that, within the home,
Students are more willing to eat vegetable since commencing
The Home Grown Project.
Parents attributed these wonderful behavioural changes to
The Home Grown Project and its ability to provide the students with
the physical ability to learn how to grow food.
As a direct result of this learning process, parents agreed that
“if they [the students] grow it, they want to eat it.”
Parent comments were also received regarding students displaying increased transferrable life skills as a direct result of
their involvement in the program.
Parents specifically identified the following transferrable skills
· increased personal pride in their ability to grow their own food
· increased team work abilities within a community focused outcome
· increased communication skills evident in their willingness to further discover and
discuss vegetables
· increased understanding of environmental, conservation, sustainability practices
· increased personal confidence to try new things
STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS
130 Students were surveyed prior to the commencement of the program and again at the end of the program, their findings are listed below.
Student surveys indicated;
· 10% increase in home vegetable gardening
· 22% increase in their willingness to eat a purple potato
· 31% increase in correctly identifying items that can be put into a compost bin
· 33% increase in correctly identifying that beetroot is grown below the ground
· 38% increase in correctly identifying mulch
· 41% increase in correctly identifying that peas are grown on a vine
· 80% of students understand that vegetables keep you healthy
Students also displayed an increase in their knowledge of vegetable types and the different colours that can be found within the vegetable varieties.
Students showed great interest and excitement with regard to
growing ‘unexpected vegetable colours’.
With regard to the colour of carrots;
· 56% of students correctly identified that carrots can also be purple in colour
· 32% of students correctly identified that carrots can also be white in colour
· 28% of students correctly identified that carrots can also be red in colour
· 15% of students correctly identified that carrots can also be yellow in colour
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