GrowinG MinDs...
Garden Club students cooking fava beans they grew.
I’ve been coordinating the middle school organic garden now for over three years. When an 11-year-old student says, “My experiences in the school garden have been some of the greatest times of my life,” you can’t leave.You’re stuck; suckerpunched by a 6th grader. Just two months ago, Rey Mayoral, principal of Novato High School in Northern California, asked me to advise his studentrun Garden Club. I reluctantly said yes, knowing that (again) once I started I’d never escape. I decided if I were going to take on a high school garden, my goal would be to turn those teens into tree huggers and flower enthusiasts for life, just like the junk food and videogame companies aim to do with their products. Imagine children addicted to doing something good that won’t kill brain cells, clog arteries or make them sick, obese and lackadaisical. Academic success of America’s youth is strongly linked with their health. Children who eat well are more likely to perform well and have fewer behavior problems. This outdoor learning, away from sitting at a desk, encourages students to explore and problem-solve while building their self-esteem, nourishing their bodies and spirit and offering themselves an appreciation for the gifts of the natural world (even if they’re only pretending to look interested). I couldn’t say no. How can any parent not be concerned when the United States is rated number one globally in childhood obesity, and the Center for Disease Control claims that 100
Maximum Yield USA | July 2012