Mission

Our mission is to provide a platform for entrepreneurial women to share their knowledge, talents and compassion with communities in need.

Photo courtesy of Corcoran Neighborhood Organization

'The Sun never says to the Earth, You owe me.

Look what happens with a love like that. It lights up the whole sky.' - Hafez

Illuminating the Path to a Brighter Future

The Hafez quote speaks volumes about the way our organization aims to advance the abilities of those we partner with to learn and to grow.

All of the materials that the Earth needs to operate are there. They are just hoping and waiting for a spark of sunlight to touch the sky and permeate the ground before they blossom.

We believe in opening avenues of change so that everyone has the chance to realize their full academic, professional and creative potential. Every person involved with LUTS efforts will have the incredible opportunity to light up the sky with their own passion and energy, while reaching toward their dreams.

Our Collaboration with Common Ground Relief and the Garden of Eatin’

Infectious SPIRIT and

Unwavering DETERMINATIONThe work of Common Ground Relief and the story of Dr. King Charter School resonated with us and inspired Lighting Up the Sky to get involved.

Our educational philosophy matches that of the Garden of Eatin’:To facilitate learning in a caring environment that encourages discoveries. Our goal is to guide students to take responsibility for their learning and encourage creativity, intellectual curiosity and independence.

Our Project Description

INTOXICATING EDUCATIONAL

DELIGHTis a perfect way to describe the outdoor classroom the ladies of LUTS are helping to design, construct and implement.

We are working to provide an educational experience for Dr. King Charter School that will encompass garden ecosystems, life in a horticultural web and how each and every plant, animal and microbe play an integral role in life on Earth.

Our Plans for October 8-10, 2010

Lighting Up the Sky will be on the ground in New Orleans to:

Host a luncheon for the school’s teachers, administrators and garden coordinators

Install a portable greenhouse

Erect a shade structure that will later integrate vertical gardening in the form of living walls and a green roof

Conduct a hands-on garden workshop

Present lesson plans that will augment the existing Garden of Eatin’ curriculum

October 8th LuncheonWe, the ladies of Lighting Up the Sky, would like to formally introduce ourselves to the wonderful people involved with Common Ground Relief’s Garden of Eatin’ and the educators and administrators at Dr. King Charter School.

We will use the opportunity of a meet-and-greet to:

Discover what issues matter most to our NOLA partners

Develop a more comprehensive understanding and knowledge about the people, community and school

Build collaborative and team-oriented relationships

Assist in creating an environment that moves the school community forward to address both short and long-term goals

Sharpen the focus of our commitment to ensure the success of all students involved

Greenhouse Installation

Simple to erect and take down, Lighting Up the Sky will be installing a donated portable greenhouse for the Garden of Eatin’. It’s easy to store when not in use and will do a great job of keeping plants and seedlings safe and warm between growing seasons.

Our vision for the greenhouse:

Healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables will eventually make their way into the community and be available to students and their families

The children will learn about the life cycle and the stages of plants by helping to make them grow and by using the greenhouse in practical experiments. It's one thing to see a picture of a plant in a textbook, but it's a different experience to be able to examine a real plant up close and learn about the parts of a flower, about how pollination works, or to examine leaves

Seedlings that students plant will become the pre-grown vegetation mats used for the green roof of the shade structure

Shade Structure Construction with Green Roof/Vertical Garden

The purpose of the shade structure is to integrate sustainable construction and agricultural development with a curriculum that teaches math and science through a “Learn by Doing” approach.

Practically speaking, the structure will provide shade for the students working in the Garden of Eatin’, while the green roof element will impart numerous benefits that range from sound insulation to beautiful aesthetics.

The project will have multiple phases that coincide with the various growing seasons and the custom curriculum being developed by the Garden of Eatin’ and Lighting Up the Sky.

Through a series of workshops, students will be exposed to new skill sets that will reach beyond standard educational requirements, utilizing traditional knowledge in an applied physical environment.

Shade Structure Construction Phase 1: October 2010

The Garden of Eatin’ educational garden will include a 14’x10’ wooden structure that teachers and students can use as an outdoor, open classroom sheltered from the sun and rain. The structure will have a green roof made of modules the students help create over t ime, working in teams with teacher guidance and supervision. By having a modular green roof, each team will be responsible for a 2ft . x 2ft . allotment and will have a hand in creating a dependant growing system. There will be enough modules in the green roof grid to have up to 35 teams of students from a variety of grades or classrooms. Students will be able to make observations on their particular section over t ime and learn how to maintain or replant it as needed.

Phase 1 will entail Lighting Up the Sky, Common Ground Relief and John C. Williams Architects working together to determine the layout for the structure, obtain permits and implement construction of the frame. Lighting Up the Sky will provide the designs and schematic drawings, coordinating with John C. Williams Architects to finalize the construction documents. Common Ground Relief will provide approved contractors for the build of the basic structure in October.

Plan View and Description

Shade Structure Framing

Shade Structure Construction Phases 2 and 3: February – May 2011

Phase 2: February 2011 Phase 2 will see students installing their growing plants into the green roof modules that make up the grid on the shade structure roof. Students in 6th

grade or older can be involved in the actual production of the green roof units where they will learn about fundamental construction techniques and tools, environmental design and life sciences. Younger students can be involved in the planting of the modules. The modules themselves will be typical of standard semi-extensive green roof systems, optimized for the local New Orleans climate.

Phase 3: February-May 2011 The shade structure will be designed to enable vertical garden containers to be incorporated onto the columns of the structure. These containers will be more accessible to the students and allow for easier reach when pruning, harvesting, watering, measuring, maintaining, cultivating and observing the plants.

Green Roofing Modules & Vertical Garden Units Installation

Vertical Gardening Cultivation

Hands-On Gardening WorkshopAt Lighting Up the Sky, we believe art and science go hand in hand. We continuously strive to incorporate fundamentals from both worlds in order to create energetic workshops that dance, jut, dip and slide smoothly across platforms and disciplines to marry cohesively at the finish line.

We transform old glass bottles into beautiful garden art and bird feeders in an upcycled art workshop. We design water bottle greenhouses to teach community members how to build their own from castaway materials.

Developing skills in a fun, hands-on, dynamic environment is what Lighting Up the Sky is all about.

Lesson Plan Development

Lesson plans are the road maps to a child’s education. The more thorough, engaging and thought-out the route, the more a student can relax and focus on ingesting nuggets of information.

Lighting Up the Sky will supplement the Garden of Eatin’s robust curriculum with instruction that merges Louisiana learning milestones with creative activities in the areas of sustainability, agronomy, horticulture and community stewardship.

Our lessons will take students on a fascinating journey of exploration and discovery and encourage them to apply the skills they just learned.

Thank You for Allowing Us to Share Our Passion for Knowledge with You!

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805-870-LUTS (5887)