Five-Borough Showcase School Expansion

Help Bring Edible Schoolyard NYC’s Showcase Program to Your Elementary School

“The garden is the best part of teaching at this school.”                                                                                     –Pre-Kindergarten teacher at P.S. 216

In order to achieve our vision of an edible education for all New York City public school students, Edible Schoolyard NYC is dedicated to establishing a Showcase School in each of the five boroughs. Our first Showcase Program was established in October 2010 at P.S. 216 in Brooklyn and we are now accepting applications from any public elementary school in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens or Staten Island that would like to be an Edible Schoolyard NYC Showcase School.

Edible Schoolyard NYC will establish and maintain the following at each school selected to be a Showcase School:

• An organic garden that will produce over 60 varieties of fruits and vegetables. Each garden will be customized to meet the needs of the school and its students. Students and teachers will also play a large, hands-on role in making the garden a success.

• A Kitchen Classroom that will provide students with experiential learning that help develop the necessary knowledge and skills needed to adopt healthy eating behaviors.

• Dedicated Edible Schoolyard NYC staff, including a minimum of two Garden Teachers, two Kitchen Classroom Teachers, a Garden Manager and a Program Coordinator who will be located on site throughout the calendar year.

• An integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum taught by Edible Schoolyard NYC staff in the garden and kitchen classroom.  The project-based lessons were developed in collaboration with Columbia University Teachers College and uses the garden or kitchen as the starting point for interdisciplinary classes, which incorporate at least one of the common core standards in math and ELA and/or one of the New York state standards in science or social studies.  The curriculum also includes school-food reform initiatives and comprehensive community and after-school programming.

Showcase Schools will not only serve students and their families, but they will also serve as demonstration sites and valuable professional development resources for teachers and principals across the city. Educators and students will be invited to visit these schools to receive firsthand knowledge and valuable resources to help them integrate the key components of an edible education into the fabric of their own schools.

If you are excited about Edible Schoolyard NYC and work at a school that’s ripe for an edible education, download and submit an application!  We want to hear from principals, teachers, Parent Coordinators, Parent Associations or anyone working in a New York City public school who has a desire to make our schools a better place.

To be eligible, your school must be a public school located in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens or Staten Island; serve, at a minimum, kindergarten through fifth grade; and be a Title I school.

Click here to download the application!

The deadline to apply is February 28, 2012.  Please send your completed application to Heidi Exline at hexline@esynyc.org or Edible Schoolyard NYC, 55 Washington Street, Suite 257, Brooklyn, NY 11201. If you have any question, please contact Heidi at (347) 565-0100.

I love the cool weather, the fun of pumpkin and apple picking and the beautiful, beautiful Northeastern foliage. The lighting this time of year is gorgeous.

I usually write about an issue or an event, but this time, I just have to say “I love FALL!!”. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

On Tuesday the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a new report exposing Johnson & Johnson’s double standard: the company sells different—safer, formaldehyde-free—versions of its iconic “No More Tears” baby shampoo in Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the U.K. than in the U.S., Australia, Canada, China and Indonesia.

Click Here to Read Full Article

What a wonderful summer so far. Rush and Seka went to Audubon Camp to study plants and animals. Rush loves to go fishing and Seka is enjoying collecting flowers. She now knows the difference between bumble and honey bees.

Little Solzy is growing up quickly. Already 2 months old.

We have had so many requests this summer to develop more sunscreen, so the kids have been testing new variations. Hopefully next summer, we will have a cream. As for new other products, we are testing lots of bubble baths and hair conditioners. It’s the perfect time to test products with all the sun, pool and minerals the kids are exposed to.

This month Babo is launching at Buy Buy Baby across the states! We are thrilled to have them as a retail partner.

I had my 3rd child on May 19th – a boy named Solzy. I’m thrilled to have a newborn in my arms again. So many people have asked me if I will be taking off work – a maternity leave of sorts. But given that I run a company now –it is impossible to stop overseeing the business. Everything would come to a standstill. When I was at L’Oreal, I got 5 months of maternity leave which was absolute bliss, but just before Seka, my 2nd child was born, I decided to start my own business. I didn’t realize that I would actually be working 24/7 – every single day of the year, but at least now, I work from home. I do not have an assistant but I do have a team that manages Babo’s accounting, finance and customer service and a group of women who manage sales, but we all live in different states – so we communicate through constant emails, texting and phone calls which I can do from home (or wherever my kids may be).

I was recently interviewed for a piece on CBS news about stay-at- home mothers who become CEOS and the truth is we get to choose when we work – still having the flexibility to be with our children. So, even if I stay up past midnight working or on my iphone returning emails at my son’s soccer class, or having a conference call with my kids playing in the background, I feel so blessed. Yes there have been times when I’m on the phone with a retailer and my kids are having a breakdown, but since I’m in the kids business, people seem to think that comes with the territory. I simply call whoever back when it quiets down again.

I try to get my children involved in the business too. For sure, they are great testers of products now – but they also help me schlep things to fed ex or stock store shelves. It’s so fun having their participation and feeling it’s a team/ family activity.

A fellow stay-at-home mom/ business woman wrote, “ I have worked from the kitchen table, the car, baseball and football fields, floor of the living room…it’s a bit chaotic @ times…but there is no trade-off for “being there” (and making your own hours, so you get to go on field trips!).”

I completely agree! So I’m happy to not take maternity leave but I do consider Babo my 4th child who I have to nurture at any hour it needs me (I do get emails at all hours). And I love hearing from all the mothers who buy Babo – that is really what keeps me motivated!

So thank you for anyone who is reading this blog. My entire family thanks you.

On mother’s day, I worked at C.O. Bigelow talking to moms and dads about Babo, babies and NY life.

I love spending a few hours there because everyone is so interesting who comes through the doors. The sales staff is also incredibly impressive and dedicated. Some of the sales consultants have been there over 10 years!

C.O Bigelows is my favorite place in NYC to shop for beauty products. They have such a rich, exclusive and eclectic assortment of brands. This NY institution has been around since 1838, is the oldest apothecary in America and Ian is the 3rd generation to run it. It’s located in the West Village and frequented by many celebrities – my last celebrity siting was Marisa Tomei which was last week.

I’m so happy that Bigelows continues to support Babo. We have a nice spring window with Babo the Bunny swimming and of course using Babo’s swim/sport line for ultimate swim and sun protection!

Happy Mother’s Day! I want to pay tribute to the fabulous team of moms I work with, that make Babo’s engine go. What a delight to be able to work with exceptional women who do a majority of work in the early morning or late night (post & pre bedtime) – and I thank each and every one of them for their dedication, commitment, good humor, and support.

Designer: Kristine Makin

Kristine is the very best designer I have ever worked with. She has been with me from the very start, and I actually worked with her at L’Oreal. She’s imaginative and diligent. She can turn words into beautiful design concepts instantly. Kristine has done all my packaging (the bunny for sure!) from the very beginning. I’ve never worked with someone so talented before – and I owe her everything for helping me execute the brand vision. She has a daughter Olivia, and one on the way!

Favorite Babo Product: I use the Oatmilk Calendula Shampoo & Wash because Olivia has very sensitive skin and can develop patches of eczema. The shampoo (and lotion) are so hypo-allergenic that her skin is glowingly healthy right now. Plus, I too am using it all the time because I’m pregnant.

Public Relations: Hilary Bowers

Since 2011, Hilary Bowers has helped put Babo in the hands of many great magazines and publications. She is tireless when it comes to PR, and her firm are pros at creating a story or an event that will work within a market. Hilary has little 1 ½ year-old Eloise and one more on the way (due in September). And she still wears stilettos!

Favorite Babo Product: Oatmilk Calendula lotion. I use it on Eloise and myself as well! I love the natural fragrance that leaves our skin so smooth. What fun to share the same lotion as my little girl.

Customer Service: Sharon Macwan

Sharon manages customer service (along with Jodie). Thank you for staying so close to the customers and ensuring that everyone is well taken care of and happy. As the company has grown, I’ve been able to do less of this personally – and it was my favorite part. But I have two wonderful gals in place to take up the reins. Sharon’s little girl, Elisabeth was her Mother’s Day gift six years ago! Born May, 7th

Favorite Babo Product: Lavender Meadowsweet Calming Lotion. My daughter and I both use it. We love the fragrance and the beautiful way the skin feels afterwards. Best Lotion we’ve ever used.

Account Payable: Angela Sweeney

Angela handles all Babo’s accounting and accounts payable. Thank goodness for Angela – her competence allows me not to have to scrutinize Quickbooks as I used to and go to the bank daily. You can imagine as an entrepreneur I have to track every penny that I spend – and she tells me what I can afford and when. Thanks Angela for keeping my books so clean and accurate! Angela has a superstar son Michael, 25, and an adorable daughter Philomena, aged 4.

Favorite Babo Product: Philomena loves Lavender Meadowsweet Bubble Bath. She adores the smell (as do I!) and the bubbles are great.

Education Director: Tonya Therrmann

Tonya manages a team of educators throughout the US who help teach and train retailers on Babo. Education is a key part of having a brand, because if the staff at stores don’t know the benefits, it’s hard to recommend the product. Tonya ensures that sales people are given samples and understand the complete usage of each product. Tonya has a 3 year -old named Alma – a great soccer player and artist!

Favorite Babo Product: Berry Primrose & Cucumber Aloe Vera Detanglers. We love the way the hair is left shiny and smooth. Cucumber we use all summer long and my daughter’s hair stays so healthy!

Education and Selling Specialist: Kim Caluori-Wall

Guess who the mom is in this photo? Hard to tell with stylish Kim Wall and her 15 year old daughter, Asia!

Kim in one of Babo’s selling and education specialist. She works tirelessly in the Florida region (but grew up in one of my favorite states, Montana). She is always enthusiastic and so hardworking. Thanks Kim!

And I just had to put a picture of me and my Kids – actually on the go as we combine a vacation with babo selling!