By Joseph Marah, YES 2010-2011, Sierra Leone

I returned from my YES year to study at Kellogg Community College (KCC) in Battle Creek, Michigan. In September 2013, I attended the YES 10th Anniversary Workshop in Istanbul, Turkey. While there, my group submitted a project submission and received a YES alumni grant of $3000, which we have since been using to establish a community garden on the main campus of the Kellogg Community College. For the past year, I have been working hand-in-hand with several partners, including Sprout Urban Farm and the Kellogg Community College Service Learning Department, in order to turn our proposal into a garden that grows various vegetables, including carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and beans. When it came time to harvest, the vegetables were donated to people at the Havens, a shelter for the homeless. 

In order to ensure the success of the garden and involve the community, Sprout Urban Farm and the Kellogg Community College Service Learning Department declared every Thursday as a garden day with various themes, such as Family Day, Community Day and Bruin Give Back Day. Each Thursday, volunteers came to work in the garden from 10:00am to 2:00pm, some of whom even received service learning credits in their Biology, English and Ecology classes. The attendance at these garden days was very impressive and ensured that the garden was continuously looked after. The garden work also created an opportunity for the community and the college to connect and see positive change. 

Because of how beneficial the garden has been for the community, it was important to find a way to make it sustainable. On Thursday, September 25, 2014, we had the last general garden work day for the fall, but already have plans for next season; we want to improve the garden by planting more beans, cucumbers and tomatoes, as they were both the most productive vegetables and the most needed at The Havens. We are also working on involving new students and faculty members to help the service-learning department carry out tasks in the coming years. Another goal we have is to work with the Art Department to create educational artwork around the garden. In short, we will start several new projects in the next few months in order to ensure the sustainability of this project.

Over the past year, this project has taught me a great deal, not only about gardening, but also about project management on a much bigger scale. Working with experts in different fields and getting to be a part of such a unique project has been incredible. The following are some lessons I have learned:

• Work with experts, especially those that specialize in the area related to the type of project that is being implemented, whenever possible.
• Be a good listener and open minded to different ideas, even those that do not initially make sense.
• Analyze the pros and cons for every suggestion/idea presented in order to ensure that the best possible option is chosen.
• Involve as many people as possible and make them feel like they play an important part in the project.
• Be clear about the project’s objectives to help make it more sustainable.
• Sometimes, being a good leader means taking a backseat and allowing volunteers or partners to lead, while still ensuring that the project is going in the right direction.
• Be actively involved through constant communication and research.
• Plan ahead so that you are always a step ahead when making decisions. 

I want to thank the service-learning manager at KCC, Kate DeGraaf, for her incredible support and continuous guidance throughout this project. Many thanks also go out to her student workers, Kerry and Heather, who have been vital to the success of this project. I also want to thank the Chief Excitement Officer and Co-Founder/Director of Sprout Urban Farms, Jeremy Andrews, for his expertise and friendly support; and Devon Gibson of Sprout Urban Farms for his help with the seeds and planting. Moreover, I want to thank my host family, the Arnolds, who helped me learn about community service and have been an integral part of my life. Finally, let me sincerely thank each and every person that has participated in this project. Until next time, let us make the world a better place in whatever way possible!