Luzerne County Council members visit The Lands at Hillside Farms

SHAVERTOWN — Chet Mozloom, executive director at The Lands at Hillside Farms, on Monday told representatives of Luzerne County Council that the $32,450 Hillside received in American Rescue Plan funding may seem like a small grant, but the impact it will have is huge.

Council Vice Chairman Brian Thornton, Council members Jimmy Sabatino, LeeAnn McDermott and Gregory S. Wolovich Jr., along with Michele Sparich, Luzerne County’s grant writer and acting administrative services division head, visited The Lands at Hillside Education Center and met with Mozloom to talk about how the ARP funding helped.

The visit was one of the ongoing council tours aimed to show the public the uses of $55 million in federal American Rescue Plan awards to more than 100 outside entities. Jim Reino, a member of The Lands at Hillside Board of Directors, also attended the meeting.

Mozloom said the main benefit of the ARP funding was that it enabled Hillside to install WiFi at the site, allowing greater access and distribution of educational programming for area students, from elementary through college. He said QR codes throughout the site allow students and the general public the opportunity to learn more about Hillside’s history, its animals, and all aspects of farming.

Mozloom said education is an important part of Hillside’s mission.

“Kids have to have fun when they come here and learn,” Mozloom said. “We want to be able to present them with as many educational options as we can, instead of just telling them oh, here’s a cow, or there’s an old tractor.”

Mozloom said over the summer months, hundreds of young people visit Hillside every week. He said the visits are less during colder months, but with the WiFi capability, he said the goal is to offer educational programming to be broadcast in schools.

The Lands at Hillside Education Center was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the original building in 2021, Mozloom said.

“And now, with the WiFi blanket over the farm, we will also be able to go live into classrooms and that is a big improvement,” Mozloom said. “This was impossible before and some of the money we received will be used to develop educational content. We have already begun that process.”

Mozloom said Hillside offers an educational environment that cannot be experienced in a traditional classroom.

“Here at the farm, students work side-by-side with educators and ‘co-faculty’ farm animals to learn about science, agriculture, ecology, history, nutrition, animal husbandry, land conservation, sustainable living and community service,” Mozloom said. “Students also have the opportunity to observe diversities to enhance their educational experiences.”

Mozloom said the goal is to make the lessons and experiences stick long after the students have left the farm so in turn they can teach by example.

Mozloom said Hillside’s Green Guides is an educational, therapeutic program for vulnerable and other at-risk youth throughout NEPA.

He said Green Guides is available to organizations that serve children (or adults) with autism and/or other developmental, physical or socio-economic challenges. Hillside Farms serves as an “adjunct classroom” to reinforce lessons taught through classroom learning.

“The primary goal of Green Guides is to help improve students’ physical and emotional behavior, and when possible, teach important life and academic skills,” Mozloom said. “The collective roles, responsibilities, and expectations of Green Guides and participating agencies will help children make constructive choices as well as build upon their individual strengths.”

Mozloom said the valuable lessons and experiences through Green Guides are available free-of-charge to any special needs child.

Mozloom said another part of the education component, Grief Camp, is open to children ages 6 to 14 who have recently experienced the loss of a loved one through illness, accident, homicide or suicide.

He said Hillside also serves children who are in foster care or kinship care due to neglect or abuse as well as children living with family addiction.

On the Hillside website, it states:

“According to the National Alliance for Grieving Children, those children who suffer a significant loss are at a greater risk for depression, suicide, substance abuse, and poverty. The United States Department of Health & Human Services reports that childhood trauma is a risk factor for nearly all behavioral health and substance use disorders. Yet, children can and do recover from traumatic events.”

Mozloom said farm-based activities, coupled with grief education sessions and activities, help reduce children’s feelings of isolation, loneliness, guilt, anger, fear, stress, and anxiety. He said children also learn appropriate ways to express complex feelings related to their circumstances.

Mozloom also talked about Hillside’s Summer Farm Camp, now in its 17th season.

“Summer Farm Camp combines exercise and activities while keeping education challenging and fun,” he said.

Summer Farm Camp is open for students entering grades 1-8 for the 2024 – 2025 school year.

Mozloom also said Hillside offers vocational training for students to learn about the varied careers associated with farming.