Merrill Elementary School

The goal of our school garden is to educate our students and their families about healthy nutrition through gardening or in our case, urban farming. Merrill Elementary School is located in Beloit, Wisconsin and, like many communities in the state, struggle with the effects of poverty on school age children. Over 97% of students attending Merrill are eligible for free or reduced lunches, speaking clearly to the need for promoting good nutrition. Through this program, we will be able to teach students and families about how simple it really is to establish and maintain a garden as well as incorporate fresh produce into the daily diet. It is our hope that students begin to choose fresh, whole food over processed food. By having a hands-on learning experience that is carried over into classroom learning, we believe that our students will make better choices about what they consume.