Jose Barrios Elementary Outdoor Classroom

The state of New Mexico is often a topic of conversation when describing poor states in America. New Mexico has one of the highest teen birth rates and child poverty percentages. These issues affect New Mexico as a whole, but in Silver City New Mexico the conversation is a little different. Often, not only does Silver City, which is a small town five hours south of Albuquerque, have to deal with state issues; the town as well has to cope with the lack of resources, lack of jobs, and a loss of land due to government policies and gentrification. There are many historical reasons as to why New Mexico is the way it is today, but what can be certain is that the kids are directly affected. In Grant county, the county where I serve as a  FoodCorps service member at Jose Barrios Elementary, a title 1 school,  many of the kids are eligible for free and reduced lunch due to their economic status. The children are also dealing with the stresses that come with living in a rural town. At Jose Barrios I’ve been tasked with starting a school garden education program as a part of my service. Although New Mexico has a history of Agriculture as a state, the concept of combining gardening and education in Silver City is fairly new. More than 7 teachers have expressed interest and support for the school garden, including the principal, because we all believe that the children deserve to enjoy an outdoor classroom, and deserve to feel empowered as they plant seeds and watch them grow, and in the process grow as well. The teachers and staff are committed to help create an outdoor classroom at Jose Barrios. I want to make sure that we have a proper foundation, so that the garden education program can be secure and last for years to come. Part of this foundation is receiving the training and wisdom of the Edible Schoolyard.