Join CCA Academy’s Virtual Fundraiser through March 31 to support its transformative Urban Agriculture program (All Photos Provided).
CCA Academy is excited to share its Virtual Fundraiser, which is currently taking place until March 31.
This online event marks a significant milestone as the school celebrates its 46th anniversary and aims to bolster the Urban Agriculture program—a vital part of its competency-based curriculum emphasizing sustainability and student empowerment. The funds raised are crucial in ensuring that students can continue their educational journeys and build a future filled with hope and opportunities.
For 46 years, CCA Academy, located in North Lawndale, has been at the forefront of providing transformative educational experiences for non-traditional students aged 16-21 who have completed eighth grade. With a dedicated focus on academic rigor, vocational training, and career readiness, the school is committed to creating environments where students are empowered to take charge of their futures and positively impact the world around them.
The Urban Agriculture program, which has been a cornerstone of the CCA Academy experience for over two decades, offers students hands-on learning opportunities through innovative urban gardening practices. Key features of the program include:
- Two urban gardens: One garden showcases a greenhouse, while the other includes a unique learning circle equipped with a pizza oven.
- A bioswale: This area houses chickens and beehives while integrating native plants that attract beneficial wildlife, fostering a balanced ecosystem.
- A 1,000-gallon aquaponics system: Combining fish farming with plant cultivation, this system promotes sustainable agricultural practices.
- PermaPark: A half-acre permaculture food forest that boasts three hügelkulturs, seventy fruit trees and bushes, student-built benches, and a community pavilion known as “The Living Room.” This living wall recycles organic matter into nutrient-rich soil and serves as an essential green space that provides fresh produce for the local community.
Through these innovative programs, CCA Academy’s Urban Agriculture initiative not only yields fresh produce but also teaches important ecological principles and sustainable practices. Since its introduction to permaculture concepts in 2016, CCA’s gardens have become thriving ecosystems that mimic natural habitats. In 2024 alone, the CCA gardens delivered an impressive 1,080 pounds of fresh produce, 400 plants, 300 eggs and honey while empowering students to gain essential knowledge and confidence.
Dr. Myra Sampson, Founder and CEO of CCA Academy, emphasizes the significance of the Urban Agriculture program: “I believe that our Urban Agriculture program is essential in North Lawndale, not just for providing fresh, healthy food, but for empowering our students and the community as a whole. It fosters a sense of responsibility, instills essential life skills, and creates a sustainable environment that addresses food insecurity. By engaging our youth in urban farming, we are cultivating not only crops but also hope, resilience, and a brighter future for our community.”
The Virtual Benefit will culminate with a raffle drawing held on Tuesday, March 31, at 3:00 PM. All donations collected will directly support the enhancement of the Urban Agriculture program, allowing CCA Academy to continue its mission of transforming lives through education.
The CCA Academy community invites everyone to join this important initiative and support its mission. To donate to the Virtual Fundraiser and participate in the raffle, log on to www.ccaacademy.org.
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