DISCOVER OUR GOOD NATURE
Our Programs
Our Environmental and Agricultural Tech (EAT) enrichment program encompasses the body of Penn’s Civilians' whole food promotion, production, and consumption activities. The activities are designed to foster leadership skills, encourage critical thinking, and promote personal growth among young individuals in our community. To that end, we provide Whole food production activities that include:
- The Pre-Seeding and
- The Pro-seedyore
Whole food consumption activities that include:
- EAT 5 Enrichment/Fruit & Fun
- The Produce Pentathlon
- CSG Food Share
- And our Fare Demonstrations and
Whole food promotion activities that include:
- Our whole food consumption activities and
- The Jessup Wagon
To learn more about these programs, visit the About Us page.
Our Progress
Last year (2023), the E.A.T. enrichment program at Steelton-Highspire HIgh School engaged almost 750 students our food production process. The garden club, Club CSG Athleaders, produced a variety of products that included banana and green bell peppers, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, collard and mustard greens, beets, corn, sunflowers, and strawberries. Most of the produce was given away through our CSG Food Share which provided a weekly portion of fresh fruits and vegetables to a select group of students and community members who signed up for the service. Notably, this thriving garden is called "Carver's Secret Garden" to channel the agricultural excellence of George Washington Carver. The success of the garden and associated programming has inspired more participation within and outside of Steelton-Highspire's School District. The continued success and development of the program will be enabled by Penn's Civilians in their community.
The Community
Even before the supply chain shortages and the astronomical increases in consumer products, food insecurity plagued the Steelton HIghspire School District due to the depressed economic status of the Steelton and Highspire communities. The average Steelton-Highspire family income is $34,000 per year and more than 85% of the student population is classified as economically disadvantaged. By definition, economically disadvantaged populations have higher rates of food insecurity. Steelton and Highspire are also situated in a Food Desert where neither borough has a supermarket, farmer's market, or a grocery store that consistently provides whole or nutritious food. This compounds food insecurity issues and further encourages the District to offer EAT Enrichment to offset some of the ill effects. In areas plagued by food deserts, where access to nutritious produce is scarce -amidst a landscape dominated by gas station convenience stores and fast-food establishments, these programs are pivotal in reshaping the community's food landscape.
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