Menlo Park Elementary Garden Club

**Due to debt issues, Tuscon Unified School District has made budget cuts and closures to smaller schools with low enrollment numbers and low test scores in the district. Unfortunately, Menlo Park Elementary will be closing at the end of the 2013 school year.

Menlo Park Elementary has just entered the second year of the garden program. Our organic garden is currently incorporated into three classrooms, and a seperate plot is maintained by the afterschool Garden Club. Our students do the majority of the work under adult supervision, from ammending the soil and planting, to harvesting and using the produce. We cover all aspects of growing things in our program. Each semester starts with the basics; the life cycle of a plant and the environmental factors necessary for growth. We move on to cover good bugs and bad bugs, pollination and composting. Interspersed with the basics are lessons on health and nutrition, sometimes including a meal or snack made with fresh produce. Our garden is used for science and art projects, for cooking lessons, practicing leadership skills, and of course, getting our students hands dirty! With older students, we incorporate sustainable agriculture practices and all students learn about the importance of farming and knowing where your food (and other agricultural products) comes from.