Connecting to our core value of environmental responsibility, Centerville-Washington Park District (CWPD) staff promote different ways the community can contribute to a natural food cycle. With regular composting offered during our summer camps, detailed public programming held throughout the year, and staff naturalists who provide educational tools, CWPD helps community members discover simple, practical ways to live more sustainably. One way we do this is through education about worm composting (vermicomposting).
Worm composting turns kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich fertilizer that helps plants thrive. It also keeps organic waste out of landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and returning valuable nutrients to the soil to begin the food cycle again.
In an outreach program for first- and second-grade classrooms, CWPD educates schoolchildren about the natural process worms contribute to composting. During the outreach session, staff and volunteers walk students through the worm lifecycle, how composting works, the benefits of composting, and the way worms use their unique properties to aid composting.
After highlighting the different levels of a worm composter, CWPD staff lead students through hands-on activities to learn more about the elements worms thrive in. Students can explore what a worm tunnel looks like and the different animals that can live in similar conditions. They are also given the opportunity to dig and explore in the soil, discovering properties best for worm survival.
After the outreach program, teachers can borrow the CWPD worm composter to try hands-on composting in the classroom, putting the lessons to work in real life! Guides walk participants through the best food for the worms and scenarios that can happen if the worms are fed too much or the composter is disrupted. It’s an engaging way to interest children in composting and the natural food cycle!
Our next public composting program is scheduled for April 2027 — Earth Month! Registration for the composting program will begin in February. Keep an eye out for the spring issue of Centerville-Washington Park District’s News & Events publication for more details.
In 2026, the United States of America is commemorating its 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As part of the celebration, America 250-Ohio is coordinating the unique events and experiences across Ohio’s 88 counties that play a role in crafting the state’s impact on American History. The Centerville-Washington Park District is joining the celebration by highlighting significant historical and community-building events within your park district that align with America 250-Ohio’s mission.
October’s theme is Ohio Grows: Food & Farms. This statewide celebration showcases the vital role of agriculture in Ohio’s history, economy, and communities.