West Education Center

Program Type: 
Business, Academic Classrooms, School Cafeterias, Kitchen Classrooms, Garden Classrooms
Grade Level/Age Group: 
High School
Number of Individuals Program Serves: 
500
Year Founded: 
2012
About the Program: 

Our program manages seventy-five 8'x4' raised cedar beds, 6 cold frames, 3 tower gardens, and 2 aquaponics systems. We have financed our program with grants from Lowe's, Target, and Whole Foods. The students are sustainably growing Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, Cucumbers, Canteloupe, Watermelon, Summer Squash, Potatoes, Herbs, Carrots, Spring Mix, Spinach, Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Cabbage, Onions, Radishes, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Kale, Collards, Chard, and Celery.

The WEC garden produces 3500 pounds of fruits and vegetables annually. Students operate a CSA enterprise, which provides 40 shares to staff and students on a weekly basis. The CSA runs from Labor Day to Thanksgiving.