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The student news site of Colonia High School

The Declaration

The student news site of Colonia High School

The Declaration

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Earth’s Bounty gives CHS fresh healthier options

Earths+Bounty+officially+opened+in+November+after+months+of+designing+and+constructing.+
Photo Credit: Genesis Torres
Earth’s Bounty officially opened in November after months of designing and constructing.

First opening in November, Earth’s Bounty is a newly established cafeteria diner that got the attention of many of our Colonia High School’s students and staff.

If there’s one thing that students of Colonia High School complain of on more than one occasion, is the food in the Cafeteria. No doubt that most understand the hard work it takes to work in the kitchen, but there are standards and limits to these types of necessities. At first, when students were demonstrated “healthy” snacks in the vending machines, students were outraged by the dramatic change, but Earth’s Bounty took something healthy and made it amazingly tasteful.  

What started out as a simple idea, progressed into a very well maintained section of our cafeteria that provided specially made sandwiches, salads, and soup, with many other options to come. But what makes these meals so special exactly? Well, it is made straight from our garden provided by the interact club in the greenhouse and local programs. Earth’s Bounty strictly focuses on nourishing self-grown foods and biodegradable plate wear. Completely healthy, completely Earth friendly, and completely delicious.

Photo Credit: Genesis Torres
Sandwiches made straight out of Colonia’s backyard provided by the Ecology Club.

“It was an idea that developed between me and Christa Peterson who’s our dietician in the district. It started out as us talking about doing a farmers market.This was a dead area, it wasn’t used at all, over the period of summer, it turned into an area where we can serve all local, all fresh produce, nothing processed, all clean food, sustainable, biodegradable plate wear, and it took off from there. It was a true collaborative effort between me and my staff,” Director and Residential District Manager of Chartwell, Sean Walsh excitedly stated.

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With the help of many, as Mr. Walsh clarified, what was once a storage room turned into an opportunity. Directors, Managers, Chefs, painters, and CHS’s administrations and even interact club members along with much more, collaborated to this historic day that will change many students lives, day by day, lunch by lunch. “We have had weekly meetings leading up to this. Just throwing ideas. What’s going to work, how it’s going to work because it’s not only just the idea how it’s going to work operationally, how can they execute it from a chef’s standpoint, cooking and displaying, so it was a group effort,” Walsh stated once again.

Peterson and her partners started this idea back in August, and they plan to keep Earth’s Bounty alive for as long as they can. A dead area was cleaned up and used for something far more useful than a school economy could ever hope for. By using seasonal items, Earth’s Bounty will cycle each week with new options to what the students like. Only beginning in CHS, Earth’s Bounty will be on every Monday through Friday except Wednesdays, which is left for Chef’s table. As Patterson stated, “Everything is Fresh, local, no antibiotics, no hormones, and as close to the Earth as we possibly could.” So come and take advantage of a changing CHS for the better.

 

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About the Contributors
Genesis Torres, Fall Editor and Reporter
Genesis Torres is an 18 year old Senior at Colonia High school. She is captain of the Colonia girls' varsity soccer team, and has been playing soccer since she was 10 years old. She enjoys watching soccer as well, and supports the Real Madrid football club team for men, and the Portland Thorns for women. She also loves playing and watching American football. She is an enormous fan of the New York Giants. Torres loves playing video games, such as FIFA and Madden. She likes watching adventurous and competitive TV shows like The Flash and The Challenge. Torres was born in Puerto Rico but she has been living in Avenel, NJ for 9 years. She has 3 brothers and 3 sisters. She doesn't know where she wants to go to school yet, but she wants to become a nurse. Torres loves writing and loves to explore and do different things. Her favorite classes this year are Journalism and English. She is very competitive but loves to be kind and never forgets to be respectful both on and off the field.
Adriana Daniel, Fall Editor and Reporter
Adriana Daniel is 17 years old and is a senior at Colonia High School. Daniel is a swimmer for the Colonia swim team and also President for the Guitar Club. She has been apart of the Guitar Club for four years. Daniel spends her summers working as a lifeguard and as a camp counselor, she also works as a sales associate at American Eagle. Daniel would like to become a lawyer and later on President of the United States of America. Daniel would like to go to college at the University of Vermont and then go to Georgetown for Law school.

Comments (3)

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  • B

    Bill GatesJan 17, 2017 at 8:41 am

    Please open your recent poll. I would like to vote on which celebrity death saddened me the most in 2016.

    Reply
  • C

    Cynthia DiChiaraDec 22, 2016 at 11:31 am

    I really enjoy Earth’s Bounty. Have you had their sandwiches?

    Reply
    • A

      Adriana DanielDec 25, 2016 at 11:30 am

      Yes. They are very delicious! My favorite is the Racheal Sandwich.

      Reply
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Earth’s Bounty gives CHS fresh healthier options