MAY 5, 2022— ALBANY, GA– The Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy, 4C Academy, held an Open House and Blessing of the Commodore Gardens on the 4C Academy campus. Open to the public, the event was a celebration of all of the hard work that the students have put into the garden over the last year in the school’s community service initiative, known as GroupUp. The purpose of the initiative is to create awareness of food insecurity in Albany.
Each of the fourteen career pathways had representative projects that are now a part of the garden to promote gardening, healthy lifestyles, and an understanding of our state’s number one industry, agriculture.
The Commodore Gardens feature 40 raised-bed, irrigated garden boxes for various seasonal vegetables, such as:
Squash
Okra
Various Peppers
Greens, Lettuce, and Kale
Additionally, the garden features a one-half acre field for crops and an orchard that contains fruits such as:
Satsuma oranges,
Blueberries
Peaches
Raspberries
While working in the Gardens, 4C students learn the increasing role that technology plays in agriculture. GroupUp students are responsible for building, and programming FarmBots, which are robots that water and weed crops that grow in the garden boxes. The FarmBots and the school’s mobile produce stand are powered by solar panels, which are also built by the students..
The garden also contains a walking path where elementary and middle school students can tour the gardens and learn about agriculture with descriptive signs and QR codes that link to videos created by students. As students walk this path, they will also pass by the Gardens’ new chicken coop and three honeybee hives.
Speakers at the open house included Chris Hatcher, CEO of the 4C Academy, Ms. Paige Pushkin of Georgia Foundation for Public Education, Mr. Kenneth Dyer, Superintendent of the Dougherty County School System, Ms. Angie Gardner, Principal of the 4C Academy, and State Senator Freddie Powell Sims. Pastor Daniel Simmons, Senior Pastor at Mt. Zion Church and 4C Board Member, gave a blessing of the gardens.
The 4C Academy also recognized Flint River Fresh and Fernando Jackson, aka Farmer Fredo, as the 4C Academy’s 2021 Community Partner of the Year. The organization and Farmer Fredo were instrumental in helping 4C establish the Commodore Gardens, and they continue to be valued partners. “When looking for a partner to help us establish a garden at the 4C Academy, we didn’t have to look very far,” says Hatcher. He adds, “the minute I met Farmer Fredo and he shared Flint River Fresh’s mission, I knew we found the perfect partner for our school.”
Megan Verner, the 4C Agribusiness instructor, was honored for her extensive efforts in building the agribusiness program. Agribusiness students are responsible for maintaining The Commodore Gardens’ facilities and crops while learning business management skills necessary for success in today’s agriculture industry.
The program ended with a groundbreaking for a 5,800 square foot hydroponics greenhouse that will be a part of the Commodore Gardens. The 4C Academy and the Dougherty County School System have big plans for the greenhouse and look forward to sharing more details once the project is completed.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chris Hatcher
CEO, Commodore Conyers College & Career Academy
Ph: 229-431-1562
Email: Chris.Hatcher@4CAcademy.org
Web: 4CAcademy.org
About 4C Academy:
The mission of the Commodore Conyers College & Career Academy is to produce college and career ready graduates with relevant skills and education and exceptional work ethic who can compete and succeed in the real world. Our partners include local business and industry, the Dougherty County School System, Albany Technical College, Albany State University, the Albany/Dougherty Economic Development Commission, and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition, we have partnered with the Calhoun, Terrell and Baker County School Systems.