Buxton Center Elementary School

Program Type: 
Garden Classrooms
Grade Level/Age Group: 
Lower Elementary, Kindergarten
Number of Individuals Program Serves: 
1,000
Year Founded: 
2014
About the Program: 

The mission of the Buxton Center Elementary School garden program is to expand the walls of the classroom and actively engage students in a community gardening project that promotes healthy living, environmental stewardship, and community involvement.

Broadly, we strive to meet this mission in the following ways:
--> engage over 600 Kindergarten, Lower Elementary, th grade students in garden, nutrition and cooking lessons during the school day
--> channel garden produce into the classroom, the cafeteria, and local food pantries
--> impact the health of children and families by exposing students to fresh produce, teaching them about healthy eating, and providing them with ample opportunities to taste and cook what they grow

In order to integrate the garden fully into the school day, the garden must represent a true outdoor classroom. Providing students with a place to sit, to write, and to cook outdoors will enhance the potential of the garden as a dynamic learning space.

Specifically, funds from the Whole Kids Foundation would be used to purchase:
--> picnic tables, tree stumps to be used as seats, and a blackboard to construct our outdoor classroom
--> kitchen supplies and an outdoor cooking station (sink, workspace, roof) to construct an outdoor kitchen