Reedeming the land
Growing community ties in Frayser
“With our students” — they number 400, pre-K through grade 6 — “we’re going to increasingly pay attention to stewardship and curiosity,” Steiner says. “Stewardship is really teaching our kids about caring for God’s creations, using to the fullest, but in the most redemptive way.”
To that end, New Hope has broken, weeded and seeded ground on the school’s campus at 3000 University St., at Clifton.
“For years we’ve had this property on the corner across from our primary operation and it sat vacant. Since I became the head of school last March, I had been thinking … ‘What can we do with the land, redeem the land to further realize our mission and even be a blessing to the Frayser community?’
“We’d been talking with an architecture firm … talking about a master plan … looking at acquiring new land …. ”
But what he did was walk down the school hallway and converse with veteran science teacher Mary Leslie Ramsey, and he changed direction.
While she demurs on a formal interview, Ramsey e-mails, “We had a great Environment Night in February, with several hundred people in attendance.
“In early April we had a garden-work day, with 120 people who signed in. And
“Curiosity is something overlooked and underdelivered in school,” says Stephen Steiner.
And that’s no small admission for him, a veteran teacher and head of school for New Hope Christian Academy, an urban college-preparatory school in Frayser.
we are diligently working toward creating an urban farm on a once-vacant lot that belongs to the school.
“Our efforts are truly a team effort. There are two other teachers, the farm coordinator, and very supportive administrators who are equally committed to empowering our students as we better care for the Earth.
Says Steiner, “You crack open the door for Mary Leslie and she runs with it.”
Ramsey connected with David Vaughan, a Memphis Central High and Emory University grad recently returned from Peace Corps work in Africa. Soon, work on the school’s half-acre-plus farm plot began.
“David is an absolute workhorse,” Steiner says, “out there very day, rain or shine, even in cold … digging, planting. He’s just passionate about this.”
When the weather warmed, students put on big garden gloves, grabbed rakes and shovels and helped weed, mulch, dig and plant early seeds of success.
“Whatever might grow and be edible, maybe we could use in our cafeteria or sell or give to the community,” says Steiner.
“Some folks might say, ‘Why not take a stab at a garden … but we decided to go big, redeem all the land, if we can. See how this little seed can turn into the plant or tree that produces food that we can eat.”
The school also owns a forested area that has New Hope folks plotting to develop a nature area for kids. “Put some paths in there,” Steiner says. “Build forts. Dig in the mud. Just go back there and look up, and forget you’re in the middle of the city.”
Neighbors seeing the school’s efforts are even offering to help with the farm.
“So we’re attracting interest,” Steiner says, “and we welcome the opportunity.
“We want to make a reason for you to come out, meet the kids, play football, plant in the farm. Good things are happening in Frayser. ”