Sonoma students return from work group in Puerto Rico

The Sonoma-based nonprofit Seeds of Learning sent its first-ever work group to Puerto Rico in March and the inaugural trip was composed almost entirely of Sonoma Valley High School students.

Upon arrival in the town of Arroyo, the group was met by Seeds of Learning's Puerto Rico staff member Dominic Tommasi. Tommasi graduated from SVHS in 2018 and began working full time for Seeds of Learning in January.

The group included students Ruby Eilert, Jack Turner, Reed Hewitt, Julian Hewitt, Lucas Llodra, Camryn Berger, Kylie Hopp, Anna Cline, Kayla Schmick, Ivy MacNeil Blackwood, Grace Kiser, Ruby Capriola, Elsa Winter and Phoebe Cole. Joining the students was Adele Harrison teacher Mimi Sommer and former Flowery teacher Krista McAtee.

The goal of the trip was to learn about, help in recovery efforts and help build a sustainable future for a Puerto Rican community through agroecology in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Agroecology is a growing global movement that studies ecological processes in farming systems. On the Puerto Rico trip, Seeds of Learning volunteers helped with farm labor such as planting, weeding, harvesting and soil preparation on agroecology inspired farms. The work group also learned about food systems and the environmental and social relationships that are woven into agroecology's multifaceted approach.

'My favorite part of the trip was interacting with the locals,' said SVHS sophomore Elsa Winter. 'After all they have been through in Puerto Rico, it was amazing how happy and welcoming our hosts were. It was also incredible to see some others' perspectives change about the U.S. Throughout the trip I realized that people must come together in order to make change in the world. We saw firsthand that one small action can completely change someone's life by changing their perspective, and that a bunch of small actions working in the direction of good can begin to change the world.'

The group divided into three teams. One worked on composting food waste and learning the composting process as well as digging the hole that will serve as a bathroom. The second group watered every plant, weeded and cleaned the seeding beds and harvested what was ready to be picked. The final group worked on clearing more areas of the forest to make more seeding beds and expand the farm's production area.

The group also worked with Puerto Rican university students on the farm who taught the various disciplines they are studying. For example, a botany student showed the group how the flora has changed over 50 years and taught the group basic plant anatomy, how to identify local and foreign plants; every volunteer got to cut and preserve their own unique plant using a press.

'Seeds of Learning has been teaching the students the difference between charity and solidarity,' said parent Lori Winter. 'This trip is definitely about solidarity — working shoulder to shoulder as partners with their new Puerto Rican friends.'

Tommasi felt that Seeds of Learning's first work group to Puerto Rico was a success.

'The SVHS spring break work group learned, connected and worked together to achieve a healthier, more reliable source of nutrition and means of rebuilding for a community still affected by Hurricane Maria, said Tommasi. 'We're looking forward to continuing our work on Trama farm as they work to promote local agriculture so to not rely so heavily on imported food.'

This was Seeds of Learning's 276th work group to travel to Central America since 1992.