Earth Day. Twenty-four hours to celebrate the Earth and all its natural resources. Students plant and proudly bring their prized bean sprouts home–only to be left and forgotten on the window sill. One day for students to learn about gardening is not enough to create a lifetime of love and respect for nutrition or the environment. Gardening activities are underutilized in the current curriculum. A school garden provides an abundant supply of educational experiences and vital life skills. The fact that fresh food does not originate on store shelves may come as a shock to the young residents of Colorado Springs. Education is not limited to the classroom, sitting at a desk, and listening to lectures. Education is about applying knowledge to real-world situations. What better way is there to do this than to merge the garden with the classroom?
Schools in Colorado pride themselves on offering healthy choices for students. However, these healthy choices come pre-packaged and highly processed. As Xindi Hu of Harvard University explains, although there are organic farms in Colorado, schools tend to use non-organic farms because of cost. Moreover, the use of chemical pesticides dominates most of the food that is provided to children. The food that is supposed to support positive development is essentially lifeless. Implementing urban gardens on school grounds promotes increased environmental awareness, respect for nutrition, and cultivating a deeper connection with families. The mindset of convenience has taken over society. Children must discover the unique connection with the Earth that generations before had. School gardens are an underappreciated resource. By implementing urban gardening concepts in schools, Colorado Springs will gain a future of healthy and environmentally aware children.
Dancing without music, cooking without ingredients, and reading without words are examples of what it is like to teach children the importance of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle without first teaching them how and where nourishment originates. Leah Shafer points out that children receive around 3.4 hours of nutrition education per year. This is nowhere near the amount of nutrition education a child requires. Nutrition is a vital aspect of positive development. Teaching its importance at a young age requires hands-on educational experiences. Children need a program where they are involved and engaged every step of the way.
Gardening teaches valuable life skills and provides a viable way to grow fresh produce. However, schools must overcome several barriers before gardening programs are fully integrated into the curriculum. Reuters contributing author Anne Harding suggests that time and staffing are significant factors in establishing a garden program. A typical schedule for an elementary classroom is filled with learning activities, specials rotations, and outdoor time. Harding argues that there is not enough time for every student in the school to use the garden, ultimately leading to a waste of space. For a garden program to reach students on a meaningful level, all children need to have access to it.
An elementary school has at least three classes per grade level. The situation of what class can use the garden and for how long poses an issue. Some schools simply do not have the time or adequate staffing for that kind of involvement. Even if schools have the extra staff to oversee and care for a project of this magnitude, teachers are reluctant to stick with the idea. Lisa Bennet of the Center for Ecoliteracy argues that garden programs are more of “apply what you know” rather than teaching fresh material. While this statement has merit, gardens provide the opportunity to expand a child’s education to the real world. The timing and staffing concerns are cheating students out of a hands-on educational experience.
Naturally, seasonal temperatures and unpredictable weather are deterrents to a garden. Colorado Springs has some of the most erratic weather patterns in the country. Planting and harvesting times come into play in the decision to incorporate gardening into children’s academic education. The city is known to experience all four seasons in one day. Questions arise regarding the long-term sustainability of a school garden. Springs Media journalist Dionne Roberts details who is taking on the challenge of gardening in Colorado Springs. The Galileo Garden in District Eleven features a covered dome that sustains organic produce in the ever-changing climate of the Rocky Mountains. The Galileo School has hired a master gardener to oversee the project as well as provide insightful guidance to students. If more schools in the Colorado Springs area take note of the accomplishments of the Galileo School Garden, then the decision to implement a garden is simple.
Still, pressing concerns over staffing and resources cloud the vision of teachers and administration. The issue of affordable resources continues to deter schools from implementing an extension to the curriculum. Additional funding is required to train and educate teachers on how to integrate gardening concepts in and out of the classroom. Training and workshops are an added expense that schools do not always have the budget for. The cost of materials and supplies poses a financial concern for school districts. According to Kids Gardening, to motivate children to develop a strong sense of nutrition, fresh produce must be washed, prepared, and served to children. Additional staff members that specialize in food service are yet another added expense.
Granted, the hurdles that a garden program introduces can be daunting. Regardless, this is still a vital part of education. Gardening programs enrich the curriculum just as compost enriches the soil. A school garden tended by careful hands leads to a bountiful harvest of healthy, environmentally aware children.
Colorado is familiar with the farm-to-school approach. However, most state schools serve highly processed food tailored to meet the needs of students on a large scale. More sophisticated gardening concepts should flow into the lunchroom and classrooms. The garden to lunchroom program is the middle ground where balanced nutrition and education meet. Cultivating a sustainable garden is a matter of getting all necessary individuals involved. Members of the PTA present the benefits and highlight the program’s importance to teachers, staff, and community members. Students participate in planning, planting, harvesting, and enjoying the finished product. Dionne Roberts explains that the food grown in school gardens is the basis for school meals. The weekly menu reflects the produce that students harvest and ultimately changes the way school lunch menus are created.
For the garden to lunchroom program to flourish, adjustments to the curriculum and staff are essential. According to Chalkbeat Colorado contributor Rebecca Jones, a school garden program offers children more than just getting dirty. A school garden is a stepping stone for a healthy future. Creating a program that connects academic concepts to overall health is essential for the positive development of children. Reviving the mundane curriculum requires a program that offers a fresh perspective that allows kids to cultivate their lives as they see it.
Implementing urban gardening concepts into the curriculum provides students with increased environmental awareness and an increased appreciation for the food they consume. Leah Shafer states, “In an era where kids’ lives are more sedentary, and where childhood obesity has risen dramatically, gardens support and encourage healthful eating as a key component of children’s physical wellbeing, which aids in their academic and social success.” Nourishment begins in the garden. School lunch providers join students in the harvesting and preparing processes. Students essentially grow their lunch. The American Journal of Public Health describes a garden as a way to connect children to nature and develop a “holistic understanding of food.” A fresh twist on mindful eating techniques gives children the confidence to transform their lives. They gain opportunities to cultivate whole, unprocessed, untreated food that nourish their growing minds and bodies. Their natural desire for knowledge shines through when they create something with their hands.
School gardens are an educational goldmine. They allow students to practice what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real-world experiences. The Garden to Lunchroom program offers a wide range of educational activities that foster developmental growth. Anne Harding states, “for a school garden to succeed, it must be well-integrated, meaning it fosters meaningful educational experiences.” Teachers are a vital component of the Garden to Lunchroom initiative. Gardening presents opportunities for growth in the areas of science, math, reading, art, and writing. The seeding process offers a teachable moment for math and life science activities. Students practice their art and writing skills through sketches and descriptive writing. Literacy and gardening go hand in hand. A school garden offers a quiet space perfect for storytelling and group activities. The garden provides a physical component in addition to nutrition and other core studies. Students benefit from getting out of the classroom and enjoying the fresh mountain air. The garden area creates a space where body, mind, and spirit connect. Self-awareness and self-regulatory activities, such as garden yoga, provide crucial social and emotional development to the child. The Garden to Lunchroom program embodies the importance of cultivating environmental awareness.
Sowing seeds of knowledge requires time, energy, and plenty of resources. Fundraising and grants alleviate challenges with budgets and overall costs. Schools utilize fundraisers such as family fun runs, bake sales, and dine-out nights to pay for educational programs. The profits from fundraisers fund the establishment of a school garden and specialized training for teachers.
A project of this importance requires eco-friendly materials such as organic soil, sustainably sourced wood, and organic seeds. Rebecca Jones notes, District-Eleven in Colorado Springs has taken the necessary steps to move forward with implementing a garden that benefits both students and the community. Allen Werthan, the founder of Growing Spaces and Global Children’s Gardens in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, created a solution for schools to sustain garden programs. Growing Spaces was founded and built to sustain gardens in the Rocky Mountains. Werthan created a covered greenhouse that is solar-powered to cultivate produce all year round. A greenhouse is essential to the Garden to Lunchroom program because it allows students to grow fresh produce all year, not just in the peak growing seasons.
Community involvement is necessary in obtaining funding for a greenhouse and materials. Neighborhood schools have the opportunity to reach residents on a personal level. Members of the PTA as well as volunteers enlist support from the community. Community members are encouraged to participate in gardening nights and provide donations in the form of time. The collaboration between students, families, and faculty provides the foundation for a successful program.
Despite the challenges that accompany school gardens, they provide an unforgettable experience for both students and teachers. Starting a program that holds immense educational value requires time, imagination, hands, and love. Children are naturally full of energy and life. Opportunities to harness that light are well worth the effort.
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Tiffany Hosey is a full-time mother of two boys. She finds solace in her yoga practice and browsing the natural section of Sprouts. After a ten-year break from school, she reapplied to college only to discover her innermost self. As an Early Childhood Education major, she believes that there is always something to learn.
