School Gardens
To ensure we have community members that understand the benefits of healthy eating and urban gardening, we need to start at a young age, which is why we developed three school gardens as part of our network. Through the gardens, students are able to learn about a wide range of topics (including math, science, history and social studies) in a hands-on and engaging manner. Not only do these gardens provide students with an outdoor recreational area, it also helps establish a sense of responsibility over the growth and success of the garden, as well as instilling environmental awareness into their lives.
Palms Elementary School
As the winner of the 2014 LA VICTORIA® Brand School Garden Makeover, the Palms Elementary School Garden has been redesigned to be the ideal place to teach students about healthy living, academic achievement, community and social development and environmental stewardship. The process has taken over a month, a lot of sweat and many helping hands.
Thanks to the transformation, our garden now has:
Thanks to the transformation, our garden now has:
- A gravel base to improve drainage to the water table
- Paths made of decomposed granite (DG) to increase mobility into and around the garden.
- An improved irrigation system that will help conserve water and money.
- 13 garden beds, in which we will grow over 20 types of vegetables, herbs and fruits.
- A greenhouse in which we will store seedlings and starter plants.
Our garden makeover in pictures!
Now that we have a wonderful garden we are ready to incorporate garden curriculum into lesson plans by teachers and there will also be an after school garden club for those students that are eager to learn more about urban gardening. We will have cooking lessons, do-it-yourself activities, and much more!
Palms Middle School
The garden at Palms Middle School is schedule to undergo a similar transformation as the Palms Elementary Garden in the Spring of 2015! Until then though, the garden consists of 14 beds, some of which have been newly planted with summer vegetables. One bed serves as a compost area, and we hope to get a composting program going at all of our gardens.
Watering of the garden is taken care of by dedicated students from the leadership class. Once the transformation of the garden is complete, we will develop the garden curriculum so more students can benefit and learn from this wonderful garden.
Watering of the garden is taken care of by dedicated students from the leadership class. Once the transformation of the garden is complete, we will develop the garden curriculum so more students can benefit and learn from this wonderful garden.
Overland Elementary
The garden at Overland Elementary School is thriving. We will help the garden program by increasing involvement and classroom integration for students, as well as providing them with necessary materials such as soil, a shed, and hopefully even a chicken coop! We have recently provided the school with a brand greenhouse and native plants to beautify their school and reinforce their garden program.
Overland also has a unique program surrounding their garden, in which every class has their own garden bed outside their classroom. We hope to integrate the already developed curriculum from Overland to our other schools and thus create a well-developed garden curriculum.
Overland also has a unique program surrounding their garden, in which every class has their own garden bed outside their classroom. We hope to integrate the already developed curriculum from Overland to our other schools and thus create a well-developed garden curriculum.
