Student Gardens Inspire Health and Connection to Community
Student-run vegetable gardens are a growing trend in schools. Gardening is a great activity for kids – it promotes health and connection to nature and community. Kids are more likely to eat vegetables if they participate in growing them. Gardening is also a great way to get kids outside and active. Michelle Obama helped spark this trend when she employed the help of Washinton elementary students in the White House garden last fall. Read more here Michelle Obama expands White House garden.
We have several programs right here in the Metrowest area. Framingham students plan to grow enough tomatoes to cover the schools tomato sauce needs. How many tomatoes will it take? Read more about their plans here.
Algonquin’s Harvest for Students program proved to be a big success last year. One parent raved “Kids overwhelmingly chose the broccoli [grown in the garden] over the regular steamed vegetable.” See this Metrowest Daily News article to learn more. Some schools take it a step further, contributing produce to food pantries and soup kitchens.
