Director and Co-Founder Taura McMeekin grew up on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. Taura’s respect for the environment stems from a childhood of being outside, exploring rocky beaches, local forests and the nearby majestic Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges.
As a young adult, Taura became involved with Student Conservation Association where she worked in the Payette Wilderness teaching high school students the value of environmental awareness and responsibility. As a member of the National Back Country Skiers Association Taura learned wilderness survival skills and lead guided tours of national parks. She has a bachelor’s degree in music from Cornish College of the Arts and a master’s degree in human development from Pacific Oaks College.
Taura was a founding member of Seattle’s New School @ Southshore, a unique public school that strives to honor each child: body, mind and spirit. As a start-up project, Taura worked with a team of educators to create a school community that practices “the change we wish to see in the world.”
Her commitment and dedication to the mission of Grounded Knowledge, guides Taura in the work she currently does as a teacher at Brooklyn’s PS 164. Taura has spearheaded environmental and nutritionally centered programs such as the Green Team, a reuse, reduce, and recycling program and the Wellness Team, a group of student leaders who create active change to improve their community.
In the spring of 2009 Taura wrote and received a grant for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Sponsored by The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008-also know as the Farm Bill-PS 164 continues to receive this grant whereby 600 children and adults receive supplemental daily servings of fresh produce.
In addition to the FFVP, Taura has also been successful in securing a Lose For Good Garden for PS 164 through the non-profit organization Share Our Strength and Weight Watchers. This 16 x 16 foot organic garden provides hands-on-opportunities for students and staff to experience what it means to grow, harvest and eat organic produce at and during school hours.
Taura’s continued relationship with NYC’s School Food and New York States Department of Agriculture has further allowed PS 164 to develop programs that support healthy eating habits while bringing awareness to what it means to teach the whole child. CookShop a new program to PS 164 this year, is a school-based nutrition program designed to encourage children and their families to eat more vegetables and whole grains by integrating nutrition and food education into the classroom curriculum, and provides students with hands-on cooking experiences.
Currently Taura is working with Trust for Public Land to develop a Green Playground at PS 164, Groundswell Community Mural Project and with School Foods Garden to Café Project.
Taura was honored by New York State's Department of Agriculture as their 2011 Teacher of the Year and has been nominated to attend the national award ceremony this June in Florida.
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