GSA Goes to Drag Brunch

Written by Ella Tomlinson, GSA student co-leader

On Sunday, October 27th, members of the Great River GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) attended an All-Ages Drag Brunch at LUSH. This was coordinated by the GSA student leaders with support from the faculty advisor. This trip was the third time GSA has attended Drag Brunch, and yet we were still wowed by the spectacular Halloween-themed performance including Victoria DeVille, Kamaree Williams, Kena Derose, and more. We are so grateful to have this opportunity to introduce the beautiful world of drag to our Great River community. A major thank you to show director Victoria Deville and the staff of LUSH for their incredible support of our GSA. Can’t wait for next time!

Harvest Fest 2019 Recap

written by Cate Rysavy, PEG Leadership Team Coordinator

The Great River Community came together for Harvest Festival 2019 with beloved traditions and new and exciting opportunities to connect, learn, and have fun. Most of the activities were held inside due to cold, wet, and windy weather - even the bike rodeo! Only the hearty bouncy house participants, apple cider pressers, and soup cauldron tenders remained outside. Sergeant Fuzz from the St Paul Police was duly impressed by our community's dedication and resourcefulness.

The stone soup seemed to particularly capture the spirit of the day. The soup base was started by adolescent students in our new commercial kitchen. 10th year student Isaiah Curtis prepared hominy from scratch (including burning wood to make ash!) to add to the soup after learning about indigenous foods on his key experience to the Red Lake Nation and wanted to share it with the community. Throughout the day as people came, a variety of ingredients were added to make a beautiful and nourishing blend. And when the fire for the stone soup cauldron was billowing too much smoke inside through the nearby doors, volunteers moved the fire. Safely and skillfully moved a fire. Impressive skills in this community!

Thank you to all the volunteers, students, staff, and families who made this great event happen.

Nobel Conference 2019

GRS students had the opportunity to attend the Nobel Conference, a longtime conference linking high school students and teachers with the world’s foremost scholars and researchers in discussion centered on contemporary issues relating to the natural and social sciences. This year’s theme “Climate Changed: Facing Our Future”, asked “What tools are available, what research efforts do we require, and what kind of people do we need to be to conceptualize and address global climate challenges? What will our future climate be like and will it be hospitable to people and other life forms? What will a fossil-free economy look like and how do we transition to it? What kinds of social and political institutions must we create to curb anthropogenic greenhouse gases? What role can and should new technologies play in managing a new global climate? How do we respond to climate change while also alleviating poverty? Whose voices get heard and whose are marginalized?”

“The changes being wrought on the earth’s climate system are vast, without precedent, and of such magnitude and scale as to potentially alter life itself. Nobel Conference 55 asks “What tools are available, what research efforts do we require, and what kind of people do we need to be to conceptualize and address global climate challenges?” Nobel Conference 55 will bring together seven leading thinkers to address climate change from perspectives including paleoclimate studies, climate justice, climate modeling, and climate adaptation. We invite you to join us to grapple with the causes and consequences of climate change and with our responses to the challenges it presents us, as individuals and as a society.”

Wet But Happy

By Simone Wisgerhof

From September thirtieth to October third the sixth bridge class went on their first big class trip, to Buttermilk Farm. At the farm there was a lot to do and lots to see, but because we were late the first thing we had to do was set up tents. For some people it took about two minutes, for others it took . . . longer. It was weird sleeping with two or three people you had only known for a month, but we made it work, well mostly. At night, we would talk for hours and play games and fail to quiet down when the teachers asked. In the mornings people would do different things like make breakfast or milk cows, depending on which group they were in. It rained almost every day, but we didn’t let that spoil the trip. Sometime during the day we would do some sort of activity, like walk to the waterfall and listen to our classmates argue about whether someone would survive if they fell down it. Or we might pick pumpkins, or help Carter with digging a path and building a wall.

People also really enjoyed the animals, eight people went to the Almo training, where we became Almo the dog’s Official Caretakers. We went to build a bridge for the creek—people were giving out orders and cutting down branches and it was hard work, but I hear it came together nicely. (I wouldn’t know, I fell in the creek!) When we weren’t picking pumpkins or taking care of Almo or doing some other important thing, we played games in the field or sat by the fire grabbing sticks and lighting the tips on fire, then blowing on them to make them glow. One particular student who will go unnamed went in a bush to retrieve a ball and came back covered in tiny poky burs from head to toe. Then there was the talent show. All the acts were amazing. One that I think was especially good was the person who sang “Meteor Shower” by Cavetown—and of course who could forget the purple house joke.

This whole trip really brought our class together. I know I can’t make you fully experience what a big deal this trip was for us, but I hope you enjoyed reading about a few of the most memorable parts.

Upper Elementary Key Experiences 2019

The Upper Elementary classes have just finished up their key experiences.  Shingobee, Crow Wing, and Little Elk went to Wolf Ridge while Otter Tail, Blue Earth and Swan went to Widjiwagan.  Both of these are outdoor education centers that run summer camps, field trips and host rental groups. Great River is now too large to send all of our students to Widjiwagan, so half of them go to Wolf Ridge.

A week seems like a long time but days are filled to the brim with hiking and exploring the many beautiful acres near the North Shore and the Boundary Waters.  On these hikes, students learn about the forests of Minnesota, the animals that live there and how to care for, respect and appreciate the natural wonders of our state.  The two centers run their programs a bit differently and they both offer unique classes/experiences so students can share a variety of stories with one another upon return.  

Our goals for these trips include immersing the kids in the wilderness, living in a community, creating lasting memories with classmates, being responsible for your own well-being, challenging them mentally and physically, being unplugged, and gaining a new appreciation for our natural world.  Both of these trips definitely hit all of our goals and student feedback was overwhelming positive! Even the food received rave reviews at both sites. So, thank you for entrusting us and staff at these centers with your student(s) and we look forward to building off of these trips for the rest of the school year!

A month in the life of lower elementary students:

written by Zumbro guide, Emily Bowar

Wow, have we been busy! Along with the lessons and work of the classroom, students have participated in work share, "going outs", and presenting reports.

It was so wonderful to see so many parents at work share! Students enjoyed showing off their work which included puzzle maps, timelines, the checkerboard, parts of a flower and many, many more.

Have you ever gotten on the wrong bus and gone the wrong way? That’s what happened last week on the way back from Target. Students have a lot of work to do to plan a "going out" (Thank you to everyone who signed up to chaperone!!) Even with all that preparation we are able to learn more. What a great (safe) experience! Students have been able to go to the library, some have gone to the zoo and others to Target. Come check out the "Going Out" mural in the elementary hallway, painted by Jenny Kordosky’s mural camp over the summer.

In lieu of dressing up for Halloween, Zumbro students had "Hero Day" Some of the older students chose a person that they look up to and presented a report in costume. They spent time researching, writing and rewriting reports, painting and binding it all together. They told stories of Sacagawea, Picasso, parents, Abraham Lincoln and others. They shared why these people are good role models and why they chose them to be their heroes. Can you guess the hero below?

Nutrition Update: October 2019

written by Jenny Breen, School Nutrition Educator

Lunch this year started with a bang! In addition to a slew of new menu items, this year the elementary students are going through the lunch line and bringing their food back to the classrooms. This involves daily decision making at the salad bar-an experience that has been both exciting and overwhelming!

The lunch team including Chef Leah, Mel and Julie and Rita are putting out a stellar mixture of whole foods including choices like macaroni and cheese, barbeque sauce smothered chicken and cheesy grits with local kale, a wide variety of scratch-made soups (like Thai coconut sweet potato) and are making all of the incredible salad dressing choices in house!

The lunch line continues to grow, which is a sign of a successful lunch program! It also leads to challenges like those faced by many other schools, so we're exploring solutions to keep things moving while minimizing the wait. We are considering adding another hot and cold line (a significant cost to the school) or pre-plating certain items to help with the flow. Additionally, we're thinking about permanent volunteer jobs that, if filled by parents, could make a huge difference in the efficient flow of lunch (email lunch@greatriverschool.org if you’re interested!)

An important thing parents can do to help is to make sure you pre-order your child's lunch. The less guessing the lunch staff has to do, the more efficient we can be. Also, parents don't forget to pick up your own to-go lunch at our cafe station. We have pre-made lunches all packed and ready to take with you when you drop your child off.

Last, but not least, please consider our Community Lunch Program-it is a way for folks in the community who are able, to support those who have fewer resources so that everyone can have access to our delicious lunches, and also to help grow the capacity of the kitchen to produce delicious food. Learn more here.

Jenny, our nutrition educator, continues to explore ways to bring more education into the kitchen. We are purchasing induction burners so we can have multiple cooking stations in the kitchen, and will begin piloting classes with Big Canoe students. Jenny is working with Big Canoe staff to develop a cooking class series that, if successful, can be replicated for other students and families. Additionally, lower adolescent guide Cate Williams is putting together a folk school curriculum, which will include cooking and other food classes.

Finally, we are beginning to narrow down some areas of focus for the school wellness team. We are hoping to have our first meetings on Weds October 23 at 11 AM, and Thursday November 7 at 4 PM. We're focusing on setting some goals for wellness based education (including, but not limited to nutrition and healthy eating) that will hopefully take place later in the fall and spring.

There is so much going on, it is hard to remember, but also important to acknowledge. Next time you're in school, stop by the kitchen and say hello-let the team know how much you appreciate what they're doing, and remind your kids to do the same.

We look forward to seeing you in the kitchen or cafe soon!

Fall Coffeehouse 2019

Greetings GRS students, families, and friends!

We are excited to announce the first Coffee House of the school year on Friday Nov 8, 2019 at 6:30 in the Performance Space! Coffee House is an opportunity for GRS community to come together to celebrate our talented students. In the past we have had lots of music, stand up comedy, dancing, poetry, and juggling. If you know your student has a special talent, please encourage them to sign up! And if you love to bake and are interested in making a donation to our concessions, please contact me by email (zscott@greatriverschool.org). We are always looking for homemade treats, and gluten/dairy free options are appreciated. Admission to Coffee House is free, but we will be accepting donations toward a new monitor system which will allow our singers to hear themselves on stage. Hope to see you all there!

Zack Scott
Music Guide

Lower Adolescent Key Experiences 2019

6B Farm Trip

The farm trip just returned home last week and will have a full report in next month’s newsletter! As Dexter said in his 6B update email this week, “If you don't have a good time, at least you had a time." These are the words of a parent that were shared by one of our students during our community meeting at the farm. It's as if those words buoyed our students through the trying circumstances! They all survived the cold, wet and rough elements of the farm! We are happy that we were able to answer Maria Montessori's call for us to tap into the courage that "lies dormant in the soul of each child."

7/8 Odyssey North

written by Kayla Kronfeld, LA Social Studies guide and co-trip lead

With the school year well on its way, it is so wonderful to see the connections that students are making to their time on the Odyssey! Though an annual experience for the guides (some of us have been on 12!), the students get just a few times to experience the magic of the Odyssey.

When Great River does the Odyssey, we go all in (minus the boats, though we do attempt at least one boat tour for our two-year loop!). We do the Odyssey to create a sense of community--the students learn to support their fellows and thus they feel supported individually, too. It is a time where an adolescent ends the journey of “I cannot, I am not” to “I can and I am”. They learn how to set-up tents and feed fires, they learn how to persevere during rain storms and heat, they learn how to handle being with strangers who become fast friends, and they learn that if they work together, the world truly can be a wonderful place.

The curriculum for this year’s Odyssey set the tone for the school year: Economic Inequality (visiting various cities and experiences), Environmental Concerns (Listening Point and the Duluth Aquarium), and Human Rights (Clayton Jackson McGee Memorial (a memorial to three black men who were falsley accused of rape and thus tortured and murdered in the streets of Duluth) and the Hibbing Mine (where the first legal grounds were set against workplace sexual harrassment). 

These are big things for any human to understand, but it is important for folks to know what happens in the world around them. To keep them from these happenings would be to turn a blind eye to the injustices that happen in our cities and schools. Introducing students to materials and supports does, indeed, allow them to make the world a better place. And with a bit of food and maybe one shower, we do just that on the GRS Odyssey!

9th Grade Farm Trip

Written by Danny Ross, 9th grade SpEd guide and co-trip lead

Following the vision of Montessori's "Erdkinder" (earth-child), 9th-grade students stayed at Great River's partner farm, Buttermilk Falls Farm, in Osceola, WI during the second week of school. Students stretched their physical and intellectual capacities learning various trades, conducting academic seminars on biodynamic agriculture and the psychological principle of "flow," and being general stewards to the land and farm facilities. From building birdhouses and picnic tables, making homemade soap, preserving late summer crops, and rebuilding fences, students gained a variety of practical experiences on this trip and will continue to grow their sense of economic independence as they prepare to sell their goods at the upcoming Harvest Festival.

UE Update: Big Work

Hello and welcome to the 2019-2020 school year.  It is so exciting to walk through the halls of the elementary wing and see so much ‘big’ work happening.  The halls are filled with projects that are too large to do in the classroom, students playing music and the smell of delicious baking projects.  At this stage of development, the classroom is not contained inside four walls, their work is big and can often overflow into the hallways and outside of the building.  We want students going out into the community, whether it be a trip to the library or the grocery store, or to interview a pastry chef or go to the train museum to learn more about the history of trains in Minnesota.  We call these trips a Going Out. We are still looking for volunteers to chaperone these trips, if you are interested please come to orientation on Wednesday October 9th at 5:00 in Zumbro River classroom.

We are so excited to be offering evening events for parents this year.  Our first event was Montessori 101 on September 26th. If you were not able to attend, but would like some basic information, here is an article.   We will continue to offer more parent education events throughout the year, including Healthy Relationships, Practical Life and the work of the home, and Montessori math.

We look forward to parent observation starting for Lower Elementary on October 15th, and Upper Elementary November 7th. Click here to read the full communication on our announcement blog. If you need an alternate time, please reach out directly to me or Derek and we will try to accommodate your schedule.

Upper Adolescent Key Experiences 2019

Tenth Grade Red Lake Trip

written by Sarah Garton, UA Social Studies guide and trip lead

Boozhoo! This year the tenth graders were invited to visit Red Lake Tribal Nation as part of their unit on "Indigenous Histories and Futures." Students were asked to consider tribal history, food sovereignty and their role as guests on the reservation. We camped on the powwow grounds, visited the Red Lake Nation Tribal College, and observed Wasabiik Ojibwemotaadiwin, an Ojibwe language immersion preschool. We also spent one day harvesting at the Four Directions Development Garden and toured the Red Lake Nation Foods warehouse as well as the Fishery. We heard from noted scholars Anton Treuer, Brenda Childs and Winona LaDuke, as well as local Constitutional Reform Initiative Project and their Economic Development office, learning about their recent groundbreaking for new housing in South Minneapolis. Students also had the option to stay an extra day and experience hands-on food demonstrations as part of the Red Lake Nation Food Summit.

We all came home with full bellies and new knowledge and are very grateful to our hosts at Four Directions for coordinating such an amazing trip! Please check out all the work linked above and talk to Sarah Garton, UA Guide, if you have any questions or ideas about how GRS can continue the work of centering Native voices + sovereignty in our curriculum.

Eleventh Grade Northstar Quest

written by Laura Machacek, Ceramics guide and trip lead

On the 11th-grade Key Experience, North Star Quest, we spent four days exploring and learning about different colleges. Each night we also camped out and cooked dinner together (sometimes in the rain). This second week of school key experience truly helped develop strong relationships within the students as well as with the guides. 

On Monday, our first stop was at the mid-sized public University of Minnesota Duluth where we attended a presentation by the admissions office then went on a self-guided tour of the campus. Along the tour we even sat in on a presentation at the Planetarium. That night, we camped out near the Boundary Waters and fell asleep to the sound of rain on our tent flys. 

Tuesday morning we woke early, packed up our wet tents, and boarded the buses to spend half a day at the Ely Folk School. Students had the opportunity to try out a few folk crafts such as wild rice processing, fire making, Huichol style beading, traditional pastie making, birch bark canoe building, and blacksmithing. A small group of students even helped install a window at a sustainably built home a few miles away from the folk school. After the folk school experience, we headed to Ashland, Wisconsin to spend the night camping (not in the rain) at Prentice Park. 

Wednesday morning, we packed up our tents again and boarded the buses to go on a beautiful morning hike to Houghton Falls with an outdoor education professor and current outdoor education students from Northland College. As a group, we paused at the end of the trail along the blustery, exhilarating shores of Lake Superior to reflect on the sounds and sights of the natural world. After the hike, we drove through the woods to Northland College for an admissions presentation, guided tour of the environmentally-friendly campus, and on-campus lunch. Afterward, we spent the night back in Minnesota at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

On the final day of the key experience, the 11th graders chose between touring Carleton College and St. Olaf College, both based in Northfield, Minnesota. Both groups experienced an extensive campus tour, admissions presentation, and on-campus lunch before returning back to Great River School. Overall, the students enjoyed the trip as a way to visit a variety of different colleges to not only jump-start the process of planning for post-secondary opportunities, but also for a way to build stronger relationships with other students (while trying to stay warm and dry in the rain).

-Laura Machacek, NSQ Trip Lead 2019

Senior Canoe Trip

Written by Caroline Miesle, Music & Theater guide and co-trip lead

During the second week of school, our senior class ventured into the north woods of Wisconsin to test their canoeing endurance on the Namekagon River. Over the course of 72 hours, students paddled 46.5 miles, cooked, and camped in the rain and shine. One of the highlights of this river trip is the “Senior Olympics,” which takes place in the middle of the week. Canoe groups compete against the staff in a series of events, ranging from artistic to minute-to-win-it to feats of strength. Taking them indoors this year (thanks to the rain) didn’t lessen the fun, and the competition was stiff! With days of paddling and nights of reflection around the campfire, the senior class is ready to tackle their final year at GRS.

Lower Elementary Update

Hello and Happy Fall, Lower Elementary Families!

Now that we’re past the initial start to the year, we wanted to take a moment to share some highlights from lower elementary...

Lunch!

Wow! What a delicious lunch we have the opportunity to enjoy from our lovely and competent nutrition team! From Mac n’ Cheese to Chana Masala, we are seeing a lot of enthusiasm for the delicious dishes coming for the kitchen. Thank you for helping your child have a healthy lunch each day, and if they bring it from home, think of giving them the opportunity and responsibility to prepare their own healthy lunch. Preparing food is a skill that we encourage the students to practice here at GRS.

Recess!

For the first 15 minutes of recess, Brent Cummins, our Outdoor Education Guide, has been organizing fun activities for the students to enjoy together in small groups. These are cooperative games where the students have to learn each other’s names and work together to meet a common goal. The purpose of this big work is to help the students learn about their peers and to learn fun, collaborative games! Ask your child if they have a favorite game that they’ve learned so far.

Classroom Beliefs!

At this point, each of the elementary classrooms has had the chance to meet as a community and build their classroom beliefs. Each classroom had a discussion about what their ideal classroom would look like, sound like, feel like, and this discussion helped the students create beliefs about how their classroom should be run. You will notice common themes of peace, kindness to one another, working on big work together, and taking care of our environments in each classrooms’ beliefs. See if your child has a belief they feel strongly about or if there is a belief they might find challenging to follow. Throughout the year, we will use our beliefs as a way to reflect on what is important to our communities, and we will work together to make appropriate changes if the community asks for it.

Workshops – Art, Outdoor Education, and Physical Expression

As an elementary community, the students will have the opportunity to take classes in art, outdoor education, and physical expression once a week (on either Monday or Tuesday). In art with Amanda, your child might have the chance to create a zine! In Physical Expression with Eric, your child might navigate through an obstacle course or complete a quest…as an elf! In outdoor education with Brent, your child will get to go to the park and learn about different plants, animals, and learn tricks for surviving outdoors! We spend three weeks doing a specific workshop and then we rotate to the next workshop. We just completed our first round of workshops and have just started our second rotation and we are so grateful for our expert guides running these workshops.

“The Great Lessons”

Many of our classrooms are still in the thick of telling engaging and impressionistic stories about history that Dr. Maria Montessori coined, “The Great Lessons.” These lessons and stories explore:

• The Story of the Universe

• Life comes to Earth

• The Story of Humans

• The Story of Numbers

• The Story of Language

Again, these are told in the form of a story to capture the students’ imagination, curiosity, and sense of wonder. They act as touchstones for the work we will do together in history, geography, science, math, and language. They’re a blast to tell and they spark a lot of incredible questions and fun work!

These are just a few of the highlights happening in lower elementary. Enjoy a few snapshots as well! Until next time!

In partnership,

Jessy Eaton Fabel
Lower Elementary Guide in Spring Brook

Last Day of School Ceremony 2019

Photos courtesy of Michael Williams

Graduation 2019

Spring Intensives 2019

Ten spring intensives were offered this year, as well as seniors having the option of proposing and organizing their own spring intensives. Below is a summary of some of the key experiences students participated in their last week of school!

Itasca State Park
written by rising 10th grader Lillian Adams

The Itasca group spent three days at Itasca State Park. The trip was through Wilderness Inquiry, and we had five W.I. guides with us. During our day there we canoed during the morning, and after lunch we visited the Mississippi headwaters. We spent a few hours swimming and fishing there. Later, we went to an old fire tower a few minutes away from camp, which was converted into a lookout. The main group stayed at the foot of the tower, while smaller groups went up to the top one at a time. When we were at camp, we spent time chatting, playing games, and relaxing while one of the tent groups worked with some of the guides to prepare dinner.

State Parks
written by State Parks lead guide, Melanie Peterson-Nafziger

At Interstate State Park we explored epic potholes, igneous basalt cliffs, learned about lava flows and hiked along sandstone bluffs that were the bottom of an ancient sea. We enjoyed sweeping vistas of the St. Croix River, hauled buckets of basalt gravel to fill in the eroded trail after the snowy winter, and realized how fortunate we are to live in a state with such beautiful state parks!

Seed Savers
written by Seed Savers guide, Charlie Zieke

Students did incredible work at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. We spent two full days volunteering, planting cover crops and straw-mulching in 80-degree weather. We camped right on the Iowa River at the beautiful Pulpit Rock Campground and spent a full day exploring Luther College and downtown Decorah in our passenger vans, Bluebell and Black Beauty. There might be some future SSE interns among us!

Hammock-Making: a summary in haiku

Day 1: Wednesday, June 5th

Patience was tested,

Wrestled with sewing machines,

Hammock making rocks.

Day 2: Thursday, June 6th

Finishing hammocks,

We’re all in this together,

Our stuff sacks have holes.

Day 3: Friday, June 7th

Walking to Como,

I’m sweaty in my hammock,

Freeze pops are awesome.

Buttermilk Falls Farm

Garage Band

Upper Elementary Work Share

By: Willa Henkemeyer (Crow Wing, 4th) and Beena Reiter (Crow Wing, 5th)    

May 2019- All of the lower and the upper elementary classrooms did a workshare in the second half of May.  Different classes did different topics of projects, but the general focus for the upper elementary work share was history.  

The purpose of this workshare was to share with the rest of the community history about a lot of things. Such as identity, vikings, herbs and tea, video games, and a lot more!  Many of the workshare projects were organized by trifolds. They weren’t all trifolds though, in Blue Earth River there were posters with drawings and sculptures. In Crow Wing River there were trifolds and books. People even made tea and food to share.                 

The 6th years have a special project that they do each year. Instead of a history project, the 6th graders in Shingobee River and Crow Wing River did an Imaginary Island project. Imaginary Island is a geography project that puts together a lot of the learning that 6th years have done in elementary.  They had their projects displayed in Clear Lake River Classroom. They also made clay models of their Islands, which took a lot of concentration and time.

Now we’re going to talk about the workshare in Crow Wing because we’re in that classroom. Our history project was focused on our own Identity and Culture background. There were many genre options for works, such as who I am essay, culture essay and fundamental human needs charts, to just name a few. Everyone enjoyed the final presentation, but the project took 2 months and sometimes was stressful to tackle something so large, but it all paid off. Our class had many visitors and we think that they enjoyed it. There were many different styles of the way people made their books and posters. 

6th Year Camping Trip

By: Viv Turbak and Maya Shapiro (Crow Wing 6th years)   

The sixth graders of Crow Wing and Shingobee organized a trip to Afton State Park to commemorate the last of the original sixth graders moving to the adolescent level.  This trip was held at the end of the year, giving the sixth years two months to plan.  

 Great River School students overcome real world challenges through travel, practical life skills, arts, and time management in order to enter the adult world with compassion and a sense of responsibility.  The sixth grade trip prepares us for skills that we will need in the adolescent community, like the odyssey, the bike trip, and the senior canoe trip.  

There were three committees who organized the trip; activities, food, and logistics.  We planned all of the meals, we organized group activities and hikes, and we ordered the tents and busses.  Planning this trip helped us practice time management, and organizational skills, which are two important skills students at Great River work on developing.

Afton state park is a state park with tent and cabin sites. There are many fun activities that Afton has, like geocaching, archery, hiking, swimming, canoeing, and backpacking. We went on an overnight trip while practicing skills like setting up tents and hiking.  This helped prepare us for the bike trip, odyssey, and other adolescent key experiences.

We did a bunch of activities on the trip. One of them was hiking. We hiked to the Saint Croix river and waded into the very flooded, and murky water. We saw a 3-4 ft. long snake by the river, which we think was either a bull snake or a gopher snake.  We had so much fun at the river, and even rescued a boat (or a log, but to a bunch of weird sixth graders, what’s the difference?), called the S.S Alistair. The process included lifting a heavy log, sending people to walk out on the log while others held it steady . . . . and lots of shouting at each other.

Other than the hike, our trip consisted mostly of hanging out around the campsite.  We did a lot of hammocking. Everyone did things like sleep, talk, read, or eat in the hammocks at one point or another.  Another thing that we did was slackline. It was set up, and we all got an orientation. Then, we just went for it! There was a spotter, of course, but also a rope.  It was so fun to watch people trying it for the first time.

We played a lot of Ultimate during our campsite freetime.  We were all barefoot, and it was so wonderful to have our feet pounding against the ground, trying to block the frisbee.  On the second day, Matt brought his three year old daughters, Keegan and Juniper. We played frisbee, and volleyball with them, some students read them books and made them dandelion chain crowns,  and also taught them how to hammock and slackline.  

On this trip, we learned that camping is a lot of work.  Everyone who went on the trip had two meal shifts; cooking, and cleaning.  We learned to set up and take down the tents, and took turns filling the water.  

Matt, Alaina, and Amanda helped us through so much.  They dealt with our stress from planning, they took time out of their days to work with committees, and found work and concentration spaces for us when we needed to meet with our group(s). We would also like to thank Donna for helping us get food to eat, mess kits, stoves, etc.  She also ordered the tents for us, and answered all of our emails promptly. All of these guides have been so patient and understanding with all of us, and the things that they have done to support us, are infinite.

Meet Chef Leah Korger

Each month, we’ll highlight a different member of the Nutrition team, starting with the onion-pickling, ranch-making, recipe-creator, Chef Leah Korger (they/them).

What’s your food background?
Growing up mealtime was very important. Every day my parents made sure we all sat down to eat a home cooked meal together. At that time, I had no interest in helping to cook or garden! Thank goodness we all continue to change as we grow! Those meals planted the "food" seed in me. In college I fell in love with anything to do with food (and the science behind it) and loved completing my degree in human biology with an emphasis on nutrition. 

Most of what I love about food is it's power to bring people together, physically nourish us, and to build community. After all, everyone has to eat!

What compelled you to do this work?
I'm not done learning yet! I feel with the breadth of career possibilities within our food systems I will never run out of things to master and skills to learn. 

What did you do in your previous work?
For the past 4 years I was managing the central kitchen for the Wedge and Linden Hills Coops. Think 200 pound batches of scratch macaroni and cheese! There I developed a new catering menu, organized menu turns for the organization, began a bulk deli salad wholesale program, and a heat and serve hot bar wholesale program. Previously I served as a member of the FoodCorps connecting kids to healthy food through school garden builds, engaging after school programs, and classroom studies. I've also apprenticed at a few organic farms. 

What interested you about working at GRS?
I really enjoy building things! The program as a blank canvas was very appealing to me. Setting up procedures, systems, menus, budgets, and figuring out the formula to make the program successful is exciting! More so, the GRS community values and my own values are aligned and that is important to me in my career! 

Chef Leah showing their knife skills while prepping three bean chili vegetables

Describe what you've been doing at GRS since you started
Learning how to use the printer (haha)! I've been observing, learning, creating a lot of spreadsheets, setting up vendors, facilitating conversations, roasting chicken, dreaming about future projects, giving high fives, and teaching loads of folks how to use "Geraldine," our food processor.

 What is your philosophy around food and cooking?
Food is so many things to me. It is a way to show how much you appreciate, love, or care for others. Food can be a way to heal ourselves, others, and the planet. Healthy food access is a human right, and so is the accessibility of food education. Cooking is also an art and a form of communication - one that is so immersive! You can smell, taste, see, hear, and feel this art form! 

Which menu/day are you most excited about and why?
Chicken day is my favorite! I am also excited about our GRS ranch dressing. 

Share a favorite recipe and the story behind it:
The last couple years I've been honored to teach and demo at Chef Camp. Chef Camp is an outdoor cooking adventure where (adult) campers can take workshops from chefs and spend the weekend eating until they will pop! Last year I created this unstoppable sauce that I paired with rum barrel smoked chicken, spicy glazed peanuts, and lime zest. It was inspired by the pull of vacation and the feeling of wanting to get out of Dodge for a few days. It also illustrated many points I spoke about including smoke science, the Maillard browning process (my favorite chemical reaction), balancing flavors in a dish, and how to be confident stepping away from recipes and trusting yourself!  You'll notice this recipe doesn't have strict amounts listed - play with it! The sweetness of the fruit and richness of the coconut milk is balanced by the acidity in the vinegars, salt, and heat from the spices. This sauce recipe would do well as a tofu marinade, as the base for a vinaigrette, in a cocktail, over grilled chicken, pork, or wherever you could dream! 

Ingredients:
1/2 a pineapple (cored and sliced into 1'' thick slices)
1 pint ground cherries (gooseberries, or golden berries)
Anchovy vinegar (to taste)
Rice Vinegar (to taste)
Coconut milk (full fat)
Cayenne or chili flake (to desired heat level)
Turmeric (for color)
Sea salt

Instructions:
Grill pineapple and half of the ground cherries. Puree grilled pineapple, grilled ground cherries, and fresh ground cherries using a blender or food processor. Puree in the remaining ingredients until a smooth texture is achieved. Taste and adjust vinegar and spice levels. 

What is your vision for GRS food program?
I see this program growing into whatever this community desires! I'd love to see lots of local and organic foods in lunches, a small catering business for meetings and events, a pizza oven for garden parties, and more crossover between classroom education and the food we're serving! I also think there is a serious opportunity to give students (and the community) a real look at what a career in the food industry is through internships or mentorships. The sky is the limit!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I grew up dancing - ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, swing, Irish, modern, you name it! 

Pippa the Stegatortoise

written by Sarah’s Advisory

Her full name is Pippa Oogway Pailem. She loves crispy greens like lettuce and kale and also the occasional carrot. Pippa is an excellent burrower and climber. She is a frequent and welcome participant at Ninth Grade Community Meetings.

School Nutrition May Update

written by Jenny Breen, Nutrition Educator

Chicken Thursday!

Our hot lunch program has been going smoothly as more and more students are enjoying the delicious, beautiful and fresh foods Chef Leah and team are preparing.  As the school year winds down, we'll be planning and dreaming up next year’s expanded hot lunch menu.  Please let us know what you love about the food, and if your student has not tasted hot lunch yet, please try it!  The only way to make this program sustainable-both in terms of continuing to have hot lunches at GRS, and to utilize responsibly and sustainably produced ingredients, is to have community participation!

Chef Leah Korger (left), Sous Chef Mel Coombs (center), and Production Assistant Rita Siraj (right) share a joke while prepping vegetables for Friday’s homemade chili.

Taste Tests
We had a successful last week of taste-testing hot lunches with adolescent students.  Students enjoyed the samples and gave the wellness team feedback on flavor, ingredients, and presentation. This feedback is incredibly helpful in gauging what students think about the lunches, and opportunities for improvement.  We take this seriously, and incorporate it into our planning and preparation! 

Adolescent students in Laura Machacek’s Sculpture elective created hanging food decorations to help beautify our kitchen environment.

School Garden Planning
Many of you know about the beautiful school garden we’ve had at the school for years.  What you may not know is that it has been expanded tremendously this year, and there is a giant new garden that will be designed and planted specifically to provide the lunch program with food for school lunches!  We are excited to be able to utilize hyper locally grown foods in our school lunches next fall, and will keep people posted about volunteer opportunities throughout the summer for maintaining, harvesting and possibly even preserving garden produce!  Watch for summer camps and potentially a family event or two over the summer.

Adolescent students eat outside the cafe on 5/2/19. Once sound abatement issues are resolved, levels will eat together in the gym.

Summer Camps
We have four summer cooking camps planned this summer!  Mel, our kitchen Sous Chef, and Jenny, our Nutrition Educator, will be teaching the camps, and are looking forward to some good times in the GRS kitchen!  See the summer camp brochure for details, but here are the dates.  They will all be morning classes, and will include a freshly prepared lunch (obviously).

"Who Kneads the Dough"  June 17-20, (7-12 yrs)
Learn to bake bread and other yummy items made from dough in this fun culinary camp led by GRS chefs.
"Vegetables Every Which Way" July 8-11, (7-12 yrs)
Do you want your camper to eat more veggies? Well, let our professional chef teach them how to create delicious vegetable dishes from farm to table.
"Family Food Traditions"  July 22-25, (12-16 yrs)
Explore a variety of foods that are important to so many people’s way of life in this culinary camp. Campers will learn how to cook a variety of dishes from around the world.
"Fabulously Fantastic Foods"  August 5-8, (12-16 yrs)
Come and create some new lunch items for the up and coming school year. Your camper will work with our chef in our commercial kitchen to see what it takes to make the menu at Great River School.

Lower Adolescent Interventionist K’rin Jacobsen orders a warm beverage from Cafe Coordinator Donna Goodlaxson. The Heron’s Nest Cafe is open to community members and students alike.

To contact the Nutrition team, please email us at lunch@greatriverschool.org. Happy eating!