By Candace Johnson, WVUA 23 Digital Reporter
Stillman College partnered with Shelton State Community College on June 26 to host a food-focused STEM event to showcase that gardening talent isn’t the only thing that comes to the table, while Shelton State chef Shelley Morrow created several dishes using fresh vegetables and herbs from the Stillman Community Garden.
The demonstration was part of Stillman College’s three-week InnoMind Summer Camp, which brings campers from schools across Alabama together to learn about science, technology, engineering and math.
Camp activities included testing soil samples for nutrients related to plant growth, programming a robot, building math skills through nutritional science, and enhancing students’ communication skills by developing and recording a podcast.
“What I like most about this program is that they care about what we think,” said student Mylan Jones. “There are so many different activities to participate in.”
Camper London Wells said she enjoyed learning during the camp.
“I like that there are hands-on activities and the teachers are very helpful,” Wells said.
Another major theme is food deserts and coming up with solutions to address them. A food desert is defined as an urban or rural area that lacks easy access to fresh, affordable food.
The Stillman Community Garden itself helped show students that it is possible to produce healthy, affordable meals by growing at home.
For example, InnoMind Stillman Sur Fly uses basil, rosemary, salt, chocolate mint and zucchini, all of which are easy to grow even when space is limited.
“I like that it’s an interactive way to learn about healthy eating,” student Xavien Brown said.
InnoMind program coordinator Ashley Chamblee said programs like this help kids pursue their passions.
“Our main goal is to get people in the community more interested in healthy eating habits,” Chamblee said. “Giving them the tools to do what they want to do has made them even more interested.”
The Campers’ Veggie Voices podcast features Stillman College’s Department of English Arts and focuses on food deserts in Tuscaloosa and how community gardens can combat those issues.
The motto the students recite at the end of each episode is, “Always remember to eat your vegetables and speak up.”
InnoMind director Andrew Robertson said students were taking this valuable information home with them.
“The answer is in your own backyard,” Robertson says. “There’s no excuse not to eat healthy.”
