St. Anthony Catholic School

The primary goal for our school garden is to immerse our students in the process of planting, growing and harvesting vegetables, so they may learn about and make healthy food choices. Our school is located in Mississippi, which has the highest childhood obesity rate in the United States. (http://www.childhealthdata.org/docs/nsch-docs/mississippi-pdf.pdf) Children will learn about where food comes from and what good vs. bad food can do for their bodies and minds. School is a place where children can be educated, nurtured and inspired. We see this school garden as a critical part of our overall plan to integrate all areas of instruction with the outdoors and with health and wellness.

Teachers will utilize the garden with students in areas of math, science, nutrition, art and history. The outdoor classroom attached to the garden will allow all grades and classes, from PreK-4 to 6th grade, to spend instructional time in and around the garden, in addition to time for students to work in the garden beds. In addition to growing produce to use in classroom and cafeteria settings, our children will plant, tend, and harvest wheat. This be ground into flour, and ultimately baked into bread for their consumption to reinforce the connection between the soil, plants, and the food they eat.

The garden will enable our students to learn about community service and the benefits of giving to those less fortunate. Although our school is in a suburban area, we have many lower income and underserved residents in our county. Partnering with local organizations like MadCAAP (Madison Countians Allied Against Poverty) and local churches, we will seek to identify families who would directly benefit from food grown in our garden.

This is a true school and community endeavor. It will afford students the opportunity to work collaboratively, solve problems as a team, and foster a strong sense of self-confidence while gaining an appreciation for the value of food in its natural state.

Our school garden will serve as a model for children, teachers and parents by growing fresh produce year-round. During the summer months St. Anthony operates a Summer Camp for children. Camp attendees will also have the chance to learn about, work in and maintain the garden.