Rochester could get a vegan, self-sustaining school

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More kids could learn about veganism at school, in the classroom and the lunchroom.

WHEC Rochester reports that the Rochester River School is looking to open in the fall of 2017, with an entire curriculum centred on “humane education.” The charter school, which has not been approved yet, would cater to grades K through 12 with free vegan lunches to boot.

The heart of those lunches would be food grown, harvested and cooked on site by staff and students. The goal is to be the first self-sustainable school in the country, growing outdoors in the warm weather and using hydroponics in the winter. This is also useful for teaching children all about the perfect temperature for hydroponics, which may be a technique used more and more in the future! It’s like a bigger, better home ec!

So with more and more parents wanting vegan options for their vegan offspring, it’s only the USDA that currently stands to slow down the opening of this urban school. Co-founder Joel Helfrich told WHEC that they need to figure out if the USDA will provide money for nutrition that doesn’t include dairy. If that’s the case, Government funding will get this school going. If not, fundraising will be required for startup.

Taking things one step further than vegetarian predecessors in California and Chicago, and following in the foot steps of Milan’s all vegan kindergarten, here’s hoping New York is home to some bright young vegans sooner than later.