Vista Square Elementary School

We are pursuing grant funds to turn the garden into an outdoor classroom with garden-based educational materials. We have attended garden workshops on garden enhanced nutrition education and planting a native garden to learn how to incorporate the garden into core curriculum requirements. I have gained the support from several teachers to use the garden to enhance their science, math and English curriculum. Students will help maintain the compost pile and worm bin. Our school is in a high density urban environment, 85% Hispanic, 16% living at poverty level income, 8 miles from the Mexican border and 30% are overweight or obese. We urgently need this program! Our 5,000 square foot, fenced garden was originally established in 1997 by a full-time garden teacher. When that teaching position was eliminated due to budget cutbacks, the garden fell into disrepair until I volunteered to take on the project of refurbishing the garden in my role as school nurse. Through grants and private donations of labor, the garden has been refurbished and opened to the community to maintain the garden for the students. Now we need help to purchase garden seating, tables and teaching aids.

This program is supported by .