This fall, Fountain Valley School’s (FVS) Sustainable Science students are turning fresh, local produce into delicious jams and salsa—a project also turning heads in the local community with all proceeds benefiting CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Pikes Peak.
A favorite among pupils and patrons alike, this annual assignment combines lessons on sustainability, food preservation, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement as students develop both homemade products from nature and an appreciation for the art of giving. “This work is a tangible thing that we can do in our everyday lives to benefit others, our local community, and our environment,” FVS senior Bo Darrah explains.
Throughout the project, students are responsible for acquiring locally-grown produce, processing and bottling the ingredients using food preservation techniques and selling the final product to Fountain Valley School community members. A true depiction of leadership through service, students also partner with CASA by contributing all earnings to the nonprofit organization assisting youth in foster care. Altogether, the classes have donated approximately $800 to CASA since 2023.
“Proceeds from outside individuals and organizations are crucial to the work CASA does,” says Jill Montoya, CASA’s fund development special event planner and Milton Foster Children’s Fund (MFCF) Program manager. “Our MFCF Program provides critical resources like clothing and school supplies to youth in foster care, helping them build normalcy and self-esteem."
While making the salsa and jams, students studied the evolution and migration of birds due to the spread of peppers, utilized the Scoville scale to measure the intensity of chile peppers, explored the relationship between pH and pectin, and pressure and volume during the cooking and bottling process, and more. For Fountain Valley’s Sustainable Science students, the semester-long course also offers opportunities to make and sell additional sustainable products such as soap and lip balm, plant and harvest herbs like basil, and participate in field trips centered on supporting sustainable agriculture and positively impacting the environment.
With sustainability at the forefront of her mind, Darrah – a native of Wichita, Kansas – plans to pursue a sustainable agriculture degree in college. Her passion ignited this past spring during the week-long Fountain Valley School Interim Expedition, “Malama ‘Aina: Caring for and Honoring the Land that Feeds Us,” to Hawaii. Traveling on foot and by sea in Kaua'i, Darrah and her peers explored numerous biomes and geological features across the island, met with sustainable local and native-owned organizations, and educated one another on how even the smallest decisions and alterations can positively impact the environment.
“I hope students will continue to see how small actions can have a big impact,” says Science Department Chair and Sustainable Science instructor Danielle Llewelyn.
Llewelyn, also an Advanced Environmental Science teacher at FVS, encourages all students, like Darrah, to seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint, raise awareness of sustainable consumerism and consumption, and extend a helping hand to those in need.
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Founded in 1930, Fountain Valley School of Colorado is a boarding and day school for grades 9-12. Situated on 1,100 acres of rolling prairie in Colorado Springs, the School provides a rigorous, global curriculum in academics, arts, athletics, and the outdoors to develop young adults who are courageous, open-minded, self-reliant, curious, and compassionate. Enrollment is approximately 240 students from 20 countries, 26 states and the Pikes Peak Region. www.fvs.edu