Four Clinton School students recently visited a successful school garden program in New Orleans. They are hoping to help replicate the program as part of their field service work.
Ashley Bachelder, Gregory Cooper, Shamim Okolloh and Jared Rowell are working with Arkansas Children’s Hospital on the Delta Garden Study, a three-year research study designed to prevent childhood obesity and improve academic achievement through the use of school gardens.
The students conducted site observations and interviews at the Edible School Garden at New Orleans’ Samuel L. Green Charter School, which has successfully integrated a school garden into all academic subjects from Kindergarten through 8th grade.
“The Edible Schoolyard encompasses everything we would like to see our gardens evolve into,” Bachelder said. “The amount of teacher buy-in and support is incredible and it is easy to see how happy the students are while working in the garden. The garden is completely integrated into the school culture; everything is done with intention.”
Schools that participate in the Delta Garden Study are given all the tools and resources needed to grow a one-acre garden for one year.
The Clinton School students are developing a sustainability framework that will include suggestions and recommendations to keep the garden going after the support from the Delta Garden Study ends.
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