Today I visited Edison Charter Academy to see their progress on their LEAF school year project!  ECA LEAF students are tackling the problem of trash at their school.  Through school-wide trash clean ups, posters made entirely out of trash, classroom visits, and conversations with their peers, ECA students are trying to change the culture of their school to one where people are conscious of where they put their trash, and understand the long term effects of trash disposal.  The ECA LEAF students understand what a huge endeavor this is, but due to their passion and heart-felt actions, they are already slowly starting to see change.  Take a look at their awesome posters below, and I look forward to seeing the educational videos the team is working on currently!  Thanks ECA!  ~Rachel

If you can't see the pictures under "they are...", the pictures are of marine life harmed by trash.  The images are taken from the Marine Mammal Center.

Posters made entirely from trash found on their schoolyard.

The ECA LEAF team!

MLK's LEAF School Year Project!

Today I went to visit MLK to see how their LEAF school year project is going!  Here are a couple of pictures of the group; Ms. Nussbaum, Jacelynn, RJ, Karen, Anthony and Stephen in their classroom.  They are holding boxes that are part of a game they will play in each homeroom class at MLK, to teach their fellow students how to sort trash, recycling and compost.  Once their peers understand how to dispose of their waste and why it matters, these LEAF leaders plan to start a school- wide recycling competition with prizes for the homeroom that consistently does the best sorting!  They will make their competition known through posters and increasing the number of recycling bins in the school.  It was great to see all of the work they have done!  Thanks MLK!  ~Rachel

Crazy day

 My experience today was really crazy…. First off in the morning while we were driving there the roads were very twisty and the sky was very foggy!!! Then the group and I saw deer, banana slugs, and rolly polly’s…Then we had an event and an activity on the creek but it didn’t turn out so well…because Martha accidently moved a hornet’s nest and a lot of them came out and attacked us…Martha got bit on her hip and thigh so she had 2 bites and I had 3 bites, 1 on my left hand and 1 on my right thumb and 1 on my right lower arm…It hurts super bad!!!! ;(


                                          -Sabrina(:

Fresh air filled the forest  The trees were tall and big                      

The creek filled the river  with fresh water breeze

 The sky was foggy making all us cold

  There were trees lieing  down on the floor  

                        - Sara

Poems

Hello,
   Today we went on a beautiful hike. I was inspired to write a few poems. Here they are.

Observations 

The furry green moss 

is a stow away 

attaching itself

to the tree

the tree gives it a home 

the tree does not complain

we are like the moss 

we lodge on the earth

the earth is a tree

it gives us food water and shelter

what does it get in return? 

Nothing 

we ruin the earth 

we cut down the trees

destroy their majestic beauty 

we take to many fish to feed us

and the whole eco system crashes 

the question is 

is destroying nature worth the cost? 

The Earth 

Her tear drops are the mourning dew 

her eyes the day and night

her smile is the flowers bloom 

her head the sun so bright

her question is so simple 

who and what am I?

We are Awesome

Our last five days were wild, fun and a great learning experience. We went to many very interesting places, like Giacomini Wetlands, Stow Lake, the San Francisco Wastewater Treatment Plant, SPAWN, and Recology. Over the course of the first week we learned a lot and had a good time. We learned important information about how to take care of our society. On the first day we went kayaking in Tomales Bay. It was cold and wet, but we had a good time. At first it was difficult, but then we got the hang of it and stop crashing into the plants and trees (and each other). We learned how to work as a team and we also made new friends. The second day was not as wet but equally exciting. In the morning we learned that we would be traveling to Stowe Lake in Golden Gate Park to weed the island and make it more attractive. We were armed with gloves and tools and sent to pull ivy and grass on the steps. It got tiring but we had great fun and you could easily see the effects of our hard day's work. After that we held the Leaf Olympics, with a water-ballon toss, three-legged race and a game that involved balancing grapefruit in between our cheek and shoulder. - Isaac & Sara

Reflections On The Week

Day one: We arrived at Tamales Bay and took a small hike around the river in Giacomini wetlands. Our instructor Todd said that Juan and Anthony were kayaking partners . After we suited up we brought our kayak to the river . We jumped into the kayak excitedly and launched into the river. We started off with a rough start crashing into plants but we both got used to steering the kayak. When we made it to our destination we headed to a field where we began to eat our lunch. After our smelly lunch near cow pies we launched back into the river tired of paddling and paddled towards the rest of the group. Although we didn't crash into bushes or plants we did crash into other kayakers. When we finally arrived near the parking lot we dried off and took off our ridiculous looking life jackets and skirts we said goodbye and left this glorious place full of wildlife.                                                                     

~Anthony and Juan

Day 1: Blue Water Kayaking

We went kayaking with our boating buddies. Unfortunately, we got wet and very tired.  Although, it was very fun. The schools of Thomas Edison Charter Academy, Persidio Hill School, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle School met when we got into a circle and introduced ourselves with "call and response." We met three of the workers named Jessie, Liz, and Erick. So they taught us how to use kayak and a paddle. Then we went off kayaking together. It was hard and sweaty at the start, but we got use to paddling. After about 2 miles, we stopped and ate lunch together in a circle. We shared our thoughts to each other as we were eating. Then we went back on the water which took a while to get used to, but we paddled and paddled and we got all the way back to the start! Then it was the end of day 1.

Day 2: Stow Lake

At Stow Lake we were weeding non-native plants which were bad for the native plants. We made it cleaner and healthier for the plants. After that we went to a different area in Stow Lake and ate our lunches in a circle. We shared our experience on what jobs we did. When we were done eating and sharing, we played "LEAF olympics" with our kayaking partners such as; Balloon Toss, 3 Legged Race, and the Grapefruit pass game. After that we spread out and wrote in our journals about what we did that day. Then we left to go to Persidio Hill School and had a mini party. We ate pizza and drank water. After that, we went to go with our schools to spread out and find ideas about what we want to do with our environment. We shared our ideas with our entire group about what we wrote down. Later on that day, we had to say goodbye and go home. It was the end of day 2.

Day 3: Stinky Sewers!

It was  a beautiful and refreshing morning!

~ RJ and Jacqueline

The first day was fun. We met new people from different schools. We formed a circle and introduced ourselves and met our partners. When we put our safety gear and got in the kayaking boats. After we had some trouble we eventually got the hang of it. We got really tired and hungry. When it was lunch time we pulled over and formed a circle again and sat down and ate. Then after that we paddled back to shore and got off the kayak. Again we formed a circle to end the day to go home. Kayaking was so fun and wet. I hope we could do it again.

Day two

When we got to phs we got into another circle. We talked about how fun it was when we kayaked. We went to the vans and want to stow lake and helped pull the weeds out of a beautiful garden and planted flowers. Then we went to the field and ate lunch. We played three legged race and grapefruit pass and it was hard. Then we went back to phs and had a party. This is what we did for the first two days.

~ Katya and Karen

The Adventures of LEAF

• Day1: Going to Giacomini Wetlands for the first day was exciting and unexpected. We started off with an introduction with Todd. Next we got geared up and was showed how to paddle and get ready. After a fun game of water balloon toss we were off to the water! Towards the end we had lunch in a field nearby,we then and soon found out that we had a few unexpected guests.....SPIDERS!! These small,fast, creatures disturbed the end of the day,but overall it was quite an adventure and both of our first time kayaking!                                                                                                                                                
• Day2: After an exciting day in the Giacomini Wetlands in Tomales Bay we started the day in a circle at Presidio Hill School. There we found out that we were going to Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park to help replenish Strawberry Hill. There we were introduced to the parks gardeners. Then they geared us up with gloves,shovels,and an insight on what weeds to pull.After a few hours of hard work we said goodbye and went to a shady spot in the park to reflect on the day and play games.The day was fun and enjoyable. 
• Day3:The day started off on the edge of our seats,we found out we were going to the SEWER!! We were in luck to be told we needed an introduction before the smells. Introduced to the marine biologist there and a guy named Johnathan we learned about our water cycle,what we put down the toilet,where and how waste is handled. Next was the moment we all were waiting for... THE SEWER!! Of course it stank really bad but learning about the pipes and "cake", it was interesting!
• Day4: Both of us went to different places split apart by schools. Edison went to glide and helped the less unfortunate with a warm meal! P.H.S went to  SPAWN  and dug holes holes for a rain garden! Both were very interesting and empowering.At the end of the day we showed a good example of leadership.

We are both excited to see what will be next adventure at LEAF!

~Iyanna Kelly and ~Paulina Roesch

G-Squared                                                             

    This past week we have done a lot of interesting and educating. On the first day we went kayaking at Giacomini Wetlands. It was really interesting, hard, fun, and adventurous. It wasn't as easy as it looked. It took a lot of hard work and concentration. When lunch came it was very well needed. But after lunch we had to go back to kayaking. It wasn't the most funnest thing because we were really tired. But it was worth the try. On Tuesday we went to Stow Lake. We all had different jobs. Some of the jobs were pulling out weeds, cleaning stairs, planting, and collecting the pulled out weeds and piling them. The best part was pulling out weeds because you got to pull them out of the ground. It was a very interesting and fun time.
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~ Georgina and Grethel

Sabrina and Sadie Ray's LEAF experience

Sadie Ray: 

    Today we went to the dump. It was a bit depressing to see where all our trash goes but it also makes you aware of the fact that there is a problem and it needs to be addressed. The dump was just one of the many fun things we have done. On Monday we went kayaking. On Tuesday we went to stow lake and pulled out the none native plants. On Wednesday we went to the water treatment plant to see where all the water we waste goes. It was so SMELLY that I thought I was going to faint. It was still fun though. On Thursday we split up into two groups half of us went to glide and half of us went to SPAWN. I went to SPAWN. SPAWN stands for Salmon Protection and Water shed Network. We helped save an endangered species of Salmon. When it rains the rain picks up dirt and then goes into the river/creek. The dirt settles and then it suffocates the eggs. We dug holes on the hill so the rain would get caught in them. Then we planted plants in the holes so they would soak up the water. I learned that the salmon only live about three years. Altogether leaf has been really fun and I hope I can come back next year. 

                                                        Thanks LEAF, 

                                                            Sadie Ray

   

  Sabrina:

Monday-My first day of leaf,we went kayaking and it is so not as easy as it looks! My partner and I took turns on who went in the back and front.On our way back the my pants got wet on the bottom part.

Tuesday-We went to Stow Lake to help clean up the GGP....It was super fun and I felt super good!!

Wednesday-Was stinky the first part (the morning) because we went to the sewer and learned how our feces goes down.Then the fun part was having a scavenger hunt in separate ECA groups super fun and our team won because we ran...haha!

Thursday-Serving food to the less fortunate;I felt so good inside!!! We also picked garlic which was the hardest thing to do in the morning.

Friday-We went to the Recology and learned how our recycling,compost,and garbage reduce reuse and recycles...

THANK YOU LEAF !!!! For the fun!!!!!(;

~ Sadie Ray & Sabrina

Our journy with LEAF academy

first day:kayaking at tomale's bay

we were super exited to meet our new LEAF friends, and begin our journy of two whole weeks with eachother. after all the wait we finally reach our destany. we were super exited to kayak with our new partner. finally we got on our kayak and started paddling. it was hard at first but then we got the hang of it and after all that hard work we stoped to eat lunch. later after taking a long break we got on our kayaks and went back to where we started. it was an awesome day and we got a chance to meet new people.  the end 

second day:stoe lake, play some games, party

after all the hard work from kayaking we did something more relaxing in the city.we volunter at stoe lake in golden gate park picking ivy and weeds.we ate some lunch and play some games. we play group juggle and three legged races, and water ballon toss. we thought that we had a chance to win because we practice alot, but in the middle of the race a little accident happen......

we did good in the ballon toss.we came back to PHS fo a party that the old leaf members prepare for us.

third day: sewer, lobos creek and water treetment center

we went to the sewer the stinkyest place on earth. we took a tour all over the sewer. the smell was noth the best to be in. we learned alot of new stuff that we didnt even know. after all the stinky smell we went to the Presidio to eat luch. after lunch we did another activity in lobos creek. at the end of the scavender hunt we ended up at bakers beach. we went to another water treatment center. they get water from Lobos creek and filter it so that the people that live in the presidio can drink from it. that was the end of our journy. 

~Liberty, victoria 

SF Parks and Rec Service at Stowe Lake, Golden Gate Park

Today was a fun day. We helped pull weeds out of the pretty garden. We even got to put more flowers in the garden. It was very hard too. And after that we went to the field and played Leaf Olympics...and we had lots of fun. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us tomorrow. The best day ever.

~Karen, Martin Luther King Middle School

Today while hanging out at Stowe Lake, my rose was helping refurbish Stowe Lake's Island and doing team building activities that brought us all together (LEAF Olympics).  My thorn was tearing out all the German Ivy, it was really hard because of there being so much. Overall it felt really good to give back to Stowe Lake and Golden Gate Park.

~Iyanna, Edison Charter School

Giacomini Wetlands Kayaking

Today we came to Tomales Bay, Point Reyes Station. We got to ride in boats that looked like canoes [kayaks]. My partner was awesome. Her name is Liberty. It was challenging and fun at the same time....my word to describe this day is unforgettable.

~ Victoria, Edison Charter Academy

My rose from today is that I had a lot of fun paddling with my partner. I also enjoyed seeing the different kinds of birds and some I have never seen. Also, I liked when it was lunch time because I was very hungry.

~ Liberty, Presidio Hill School

LEAF Academy’s focus on individual students, the importance of people coming together to explore and learn, and thoughtful professional practices such as hands-on learning and mentor relationships powerfully resonates with my beliefs and values. I love being a member of a community that is not only concerned with having students succeed academically but with becoming good people who are empowered, compassionate citizens of the world. I value how every member of the LEAF community strives to model core values, to learn and grow together, to solve problems collaboratively, to deeply explore what is at the root of our motivations, and to take responsibility for making the lives of others better! LEAF's commitment to considering how policies and program effect intrinsic motivation, to challenging students to construct their own understanding, and to structuring learning around essential questions, projects, and problem solving is profoundly engaging for both LEAF students and staff.

~ Todd