Bokashi Composting

Students at two Northside Independent School District elementary schools, Knowlton and Kuentz in San Antonio, Texas, will engage in a project to test the effectiveness of Bokashi composting in a school setting. The student research will be conducted by two after school environmental clubs (25 students each) that meet twice a month. Students will receive a 45 minute training from Compost Queens in September. They will then conduct one-day school food waste audits in October, December, and May. Using data collected in the initial audit, students will create a plan to collect food waste that will be used in the Bokashi buckets. When the compost is ready, it will be used in a pollinator garden. Students will measure soil health with a microBiometer every two weeks from January to May, comparing different formulations of compost and untreated soil. Students will create physical and digital presentations to document and present the results of their research projects.