Lorain, Ohio — These kids are making an impact in Lorain. The Urban Orchard Grow Crew is planting fruit trees on the front lawn of the Lorain County Library South.
Brendan Ortíz, from Lorain County Community College’s Sustainable Agriculture Program, aims to teach people how to grow their own food on a daily basis.
Ortíz works for both LCCC and Oberlin College to promote food justice. The fruit produced by these eight apple trees and three peach trees will help stock the library’s outdoor refrigerator for those experiencing food insecurity.
“There aren’t that many local grocers that are walkable in Lorain County, specifically city of Lorain and Elyria,” said Ortíz. “And for my two positions, we’re actively working to address food scarcity through food sovereignty.”
The new trees will expand the library’s current garden. Made possible by a microgrant from the Youth Climate Action Fund, which is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the City of Oberlin’s Climate Action Plan.
“It’s critical for kids to understand where their food comes from. Because these subjects are frequently taught in schools, it feels very remote,” stated Kathleen Norman, Director of Community Engagement for the Lorain Public Library System. “But here in the library, there are many opportunities for different Stem initiatives where you can have that hands on learning.”
5,000 people came to the Great Lakes Science Center during NASA Discovery Days, exploring everything from the ground to space. Astronauts Suni Williams and Doug Wheelock spoke to children of all ages about the upcoming Artemis 2 mission to the moon.
“We’re bringing the kids here to understand that they can play a part in this, too,” Doug Wheelock told me. “And the dream is like this to be an astronaut or explore space, or work in engineering or science, those things are open for them as well.”
Williams also discussed her extended stay aboard the International Space Station, which ended earlier this year. While in space, she was able to connect with those on Earth, including answering questions from St. Ambrose Catholic School students in Brunswick back in March.
“I want those kids to see that I’m the same as them, and they could do this if they want to do this one day, there’s nothing really difference,” Williams went on: “Just a little heads down. “Persistence, maybe some stubbornness, and you’ve got it.”
And Williams is an Ohio astronaut who was born in Euclid.
