New Hope Elementary

Our garden helps us achieve two important goals: education and nutrition.

Educationally, the garden serves as a vehicle for delivering science, social studies, math, and art lessons within the curriculum. The school's nutrition program also utilizes the garden as a hands-on way to to explore the farm to table movement and learn about healthful eating. The after-school program utilizes the garden for science extension and enrichment. The garden has also become a part of our nature trail, which functions as a location for environmental education. Finally, the school counselor uses the space for counseling sessions; the garden serves as a safe place to discuss academic issues and thereby increase student success.

Nutritionally, the harvest from the garden is utilized by the school community. Some of it is sampled by students as part of the nutrition program. The rest is distributed by the school's social worker to families with limited access to fresh produce.