Anatola Elementary

This garden is part of a larger multi-component project aimed to address obesity by providing physical activity and nutrition education at three elementary schools, reaching over 2,500 children. Specifically, the garden provides hands-on and in-class educational opportunities to first and second graders and their parents, which encourages them to more deeply understand the link between healthy eating and growing their own produce. The unique pocket gardens that we use require less tools and equipment than in-ground gardens, but replacing and replenishing the soil regularly is essential as it can easily become nutrient depleted after prolonged watering. This grant would help fund an irrigation system (designed for this type of garden) that would help minimize nutrient depletion of soil. We would also be able to purchase materials that will be used to both sustain the garden as well as teach students (shovels, watering cans, hoses, spray bottles, pails and zip ties, etc.).

This program is supported by Marilyn Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics.