Agriculture & Natural Resources Success Story Junior Master Gardener Program

Youth Learn Gardening and Healthy Living Skills through the Junior Master Gardener Program

Giving youth practical skills, striving to eliminate food deserts and encouraging healthy eating practices are just a few of the possible benefits of community gardens. For a community garden to be successful, strong partnerships and a basis of horticultural knowledge is required. Extension is well positioned to provide coordination of community groups, assets and volunteers to provide a reliable source of horticulture education.

I partnered with the Jefferson County Boys and Girls Club to deliver the Junior Master Gardener program to 16 youth in the summer daycare program. Funds were secured by the Boys and Girls Club to construct 4 raised beds on club property. Over several sessions, 10 hours of instructional programming was delivered to youth on horticulture and healthy living topics. Sessions were designed to take the group from the planning stage through harvest. After each session youth were taken to the garden to put into practice the concepts learned in the sessions. Youth were in control of what vegetables were planted, how the garden was maintained and when the crops were harvested. Master Gardener Volunteers also helped to assist in gardening tasks such as planting and maintaining the beds.

Impact

Impact was measured with a Texas A&M AgriLife Instrument.

Informal feedback from participants was overall positive. The survey instrument indicated the following results about their experience:

12 indicated that they enjoyed gardening.

8 youth indicated participating in the garden program made them want to come to school (Boys and Girls Club)

6 indicated that gardening has helped them become better at math and science.

5 indicated that because of participating in the gardening program, they have taught someone else to make better food choices.

Qualitative comments when asked "what was the most important thing you learned in Junior Master Gardeners?" included; "Spinach actually tastes good, "gardening is fun", "plants need water to survive", and "learning how to plant."

Looking Forward

This program is easily replicated in schools and community groups. We are working to offer this program again in the Hanover Area. Contact the ANR Educator to learn more about this program.