Stephen Ritz and the Green Bronx Machine

CITE / St. Rose graduate Stephen Ritz has a dream, and it starts with the power of community. He brings this to life through his Green Bronx Machine, a non-profit he started to bring Urban Farming to a school in the Bronx. In this interview, Stephen recounts his journey, and highlights how his project helped turn around a school. He's a passionate educator, and his organization has taught nationally and internationally. He's created local farm stands across the Bronx. He provides after-school programming, and online cooking classes. He hosts a show on youtube. He's working to deliver fresh food to public housing, and deliver door-to-door food for seniors, as well as grab-and-go bags across the Bronx. He's been visited by Chancellors, Mayors, and First Lady Michelle Obama, among others. Stephen Ritz and his students observed that as waistlines expanded, engagement and opportunities in school decreased, school performance suffered, and hope and ambition became minimized. Originally an after-school, alternative program for high school students, Green Bronx Machine has evolved into K-12+ model fully integrated into core curriculum. Its students grow, eat and love their vegetables en route to spectacular academic performance. Learn more about the Green Bronx Machine at https://greenbronxmachine.org/ and find Stephen's inspiring new book "The Power of a Plant," on his site, where all proceeds will go to the organization. An inspiring story about how incorporating gardening and plants into teaching curriculum moved the graduation rate of students from 17% to 100% and improved attendance to 93% in his South Bronx high school. Stephen is a graduate of our CITE / St. Rose school building leadership program. Learn more at http://www.stroseapply.com and find all of our cite programs at http://www.citeprograms.com