In 2010, four graduates of the Clinton School of Public Service spent a year researching a growing issue in Arkansas: childhood obesity, and how school gardens might help.
Will Hunter, Stan Luker, Veena Rangaswami, and Christine Sumner partnered with Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute on the Delta Garden Study, a USDA-funded project that brought school gardens to middle schools in the Arkansas Delta.
With more than one-third of Arkansas children considered obese – well above the national average – the team helped evaluate whether hands-on gardening could increase fruit and vegetable intake, boost physical activity, and reduce risky behaviors like absenteeism and fighting.
They interviewed students, teachers, and staff at four rural schools with active garden programs, and helped develop long-term strategies to sustain those gardens by integrating them into science lessons and after-school clubs.
Their work built on a multi-year study aiming to grow healthier habits – and stronger school communities – across the Delta.
The Clinton School Impact Minute is a recurring segment with Little Rock Public Radio, highlighting the Clinton School’s field service impact.
Since 2004, Clinton School students have completed nearly 700 field service projects with more than 300 organizations in Arkansas alone, creating immediate and long-term impact for businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies across the state.