Preschoolers (from left) Lily Evans, Jack Himmelfarb, Brea Payne and Jordan Cohen hold worms from the compost bin at the JCYS Lutz Family Center in Highland Park. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Teacher Kristi Kamen explains worm composting to preschoolers (from top center) Lily Evans, Jack Himmelfarb, Brea Payne and Jordan Cohe at the JCYS Lutz Family Center. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Preschooler Lily Evans (left) sprays water to keep the soil moist for the composting worms as classmates Jack Himmelfarb, Brea Payne and Jordan Cohen look on at the JCYS Family Center in Highland Park. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Preschooler Jordan Cohen of Deerfield holds a few of the 1,000 or so worms that are breaking down food scraps in a composting bin in her class at the JCYSFamily Center in Highland Park. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Preschoolers write and draw their observations about worm composting, as shown here with "I got a handful of worms", as part ot the project at the JCYS Lutz Family Center.| Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

One preschool pupil at the JCYS Lutz Family Center wrote, "They are really cute," about the worms that are busy breaking down food scraps in their composting bin. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Preschoolers Jack Himmelfarb, Brea Payne and Jordan Cohen (right) hold a few of the worms that are breaking down food scraps in a compost bin at the JCYS Lutz Family Center in Highland Park. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media

Preschoolers Jack Himmelfarb, 4, of Highland Park, Brea Payne, 5, of Highland Park and Jordan Cohen (right), 5, of Deerfield hold worms from the compost bin used to break down food waste from snack time in their classroom at the JCYS Lutz Family Center in Highland Park on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 as part of a grant from the Lake County Farm Bureau. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: CST1302271146261558