In the city of the Bronx, a remarkable transformation is taking place, challenging underperforming schools and the persistent social determinants of health that have long plagued low-income communities. Led by lifelong educator Stephen Ritz, Green Bronx Machine (GBM), is a nonprofit organisation that has taken an innovative approach to education that integrates urban agriculture into the classroom, to nurture both young minds and their communities. This model addresses key factors that are affecting health and well-being, creating hope in a landscape often overshadowed by deprivation.
Access to quality education and economic stability are critical determinants of health, influencing everything from employment to access to nutritious food to the ability to live in a safe environment. In the Bronx, where poverty rates are significantly higher than the national average, many families struggle to make ends meet. Employment opportunities are scarce, and social protections are often insufficient, leaving a substantial portion of the population vulnerable.
Education is often touted as the great equaliser, yet not all educational experiences are created equal. In underserved communities, schools frequently lack the resources needed to provide a high-quality education, resulting in poor academic performance and limited future prospects for students. Ritz's programme brings an innovative, hands-on curriculum to these schools, turning them into vibrant hubs of learning and growth.
GBM's curriculum is activity-based, engaging the five senses to make learning a real-world, applicable experience. By integrating urban agriculture into education, Ritz is not only teaching students about science and nutrition but also empowering them to be active participants in their own learning and development. The organization has helped secure over 2,200 living-wage jobs for students that are directly applicable to the 21st-century workforce, breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering economic resilience.
Stephen's unique approach with GBM is reshaping what education looks like, especially in under-resourced communities. The programme's success is evident in the significant improvements seen in schools that have implemented it: behavioral incidents have been reduced by over fifty percent, and test scores have increased by forty-five percent. To date, Ritz's work has been celebrated by the White House, PBS, NPR, WOBI, and most recently, Fast Company, naming GBM a 2024 Most Innovative Company.
The award-winning documentary, Generation Growth, follows Ritz and Green Bronx Machine across America, highlighting the expansion and easy application of the curriculum into communities everywhere. This film demonstrates how empathy and project-based learning opens young minds to nutrition and wellness while generating incredible academic results. Ritz says, "We are literally baking the spinach into the ice cream. By involving students in the cultivation of their own food, this educational accelerator organisation improves academic outcomes, instilling a sense of responsibility and self-efficacy," says Ritz. "We grow high-performing schools and happy, healthy children."
Generation Growth highlights the way he is driving students to be not only better educated but also healthier, setting them up for long-term success. GBM further strengthens community bonds by bringing people together around a shared goal of growing food and improving their neighborhood. This collaborative effort helps to break down barriers and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone involved. The results have been spectacular, not only in the Bronx but across the nation. Schools in Indianapolis and foster care institutions in Appalachia featured in the abovementioned documentary have gone on to become some of the best-performing institutions in their regions, thanks to the GBM curriculum.
Access to quality healthcare is another significant barrier faced by low-income communities. The Bronx has some of the highest rates of diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, largely due to food insecurity and poor nutrition. Even the physical environment in which people live plays a crucial role in their health and well-being. Many neighborhoods in the Bronx suffer from inadequate housing, poor infrastructure, and a lack of safe recreational spaces.
"We give plants more respect than we give people," Stephen states, pointing out the systemic issues that blame children for their lack of engagement in education rather than addressing the environment in which they are learning. "Our programme addresses this by growing fresh, local produce with students and their families, as shown in our documentary, promoting community development, healthier eating habits, and reducing the incidence of chronic diseases," states Ritz.
Green Bronx Machine is more than just a sustainability initiative; it's a catalyst for socioeconomic transformation and teacher empowerment. Ritz believes that the purpose of education has been lost in the pursuit of standardized outcomes, stating, "The pressure schools feel to get ‘positive outcomes' has distorted the true meaning of this phrase." He recalls the challenges he faced when he first started teaching, emphasizing the need for a caring and supportive educational environment.
With over 300,000 pounds of vegetables grown and distributed, this nonprofit organisation's impact extends far beyond the classroom, fostering academic excellence, community engagement, and economic empowerment. Through strategic partnerships and an unwavering commitment to nurturing young minds, GBM is setting a new standard for what education should be: a place where children can thrive, regardless of their circumstances.