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Oak Grove, a vegetarian school in California, USA, receives Supreme Master Ching Hai’s contribution of US$5,000 |
Oak Grove School, in Ojai, California was founded in 1975 by Jiddu Krishnamurti, a renowned teacher of the 20th Century, who had very progressive and integrated ideas about education. Currently, Oak Grove is a private school which provides innovative early childhood, elementary and junior high school programs, a college-preparatory high school and a family-style boarding program. Its philosophy is to help students “develop the skills necessary to function in society, and at the same time to develop a foundation for inquiry into perennial questions of human life…. and assists students in the open-minded investigation of enduring human issues.”
This school is totally vegetarian, and provides a delicious lunch menu
with most of the ingredients being organic and coming from the gardens
on the 158 acre school property. The students help in cultivating the
gardens, and all seem to love their creative and delectable vegetarian
lunches. Irmgard James has been cooking at the school for 24 years on
and off, and now shares the job with her daughter. She greets everyday
as a new experience, grateful to be alive and have another day to learn
from and give to people.
Besides learning the basic subjects, the school emphasizes that having an inquiring mind is of paramount importance. For example, the children have a very positive experience with growing and eating vegetarian food. From a young age, they are exposed to a lot of positive vegetarian choices. From that foundation, they can use their innate powers of reasoning to decide if this is the best diet possible.
Within the school are some positive cutting edge technologies such as a greenhouse that is built out of straw bale using a passive solar design. The straw bale is used as an infill, which functions as an insulator. Thus the students are learning first-hand alternative sustainable building techniques.
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Paul Herder (left), Director of Development of Oak Grove School |
Igmar James (right), Food Service Director at Oak Grove School |
Recently, when Supreme Master Ching Hai heard about Oak Grove School and learned of its philosophy, global-minded curriculum, and healthy and compassionate lunch program, She generously contributed US$5,000.00 to the school. Association members visited the school at the beginning of December, Golden Year 3 (2006), spoke with staff, teachers and students, and gave Supreme Master Ching Hai’s contribution, which was graciously and gratefully received.
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Oak Grove students |
One staff member conveyed these greetings to Master: “I
would like to say to Supreme Master Ching Hai, I’m very grateful
for You and Your work, for Your willingness to get up every day and talk
about good, and talk about doing the best with what we have. I appreciate
that very much. Thank You for all the light in the universe, because it’s
in all of us. It’s not one person. I think that She is helping us
to see the light, and that’s what the work is about. So thank You
so much, and namaste.”
The children in this school sing a beautiful song of peace:
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