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School Gardens

Katie Rainka
Nutrition and Healthy School Coordinator
Office of Healthy Schools

Florida Department of Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 444
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
(850) 245-0480

Announcements

Learn what the Florida Department of Education has done to "Partner and Support Grow Healthy Fruit and Vegetable School Gardens" (Word, 572KB)

Gardening for Grades: A comprehensive guide for Florida teachers to help plan, fund, create and learn with a school garden is available.

New! Florida Agriculture in the Classroom in partnership with the Florida Department of Education's Office of Food and Nutrition Management and the Office of Healthy Schools will be providing Gardening for Grades trainings throughout Florida.

Select the link to see where there will be a Gardening for Grades training (Word, 26KB) near you.

Florida Agriculture in the Classroom will offer a new grants program to help educate Florida's students about the importance of agriculture. The program will provide 222 $500 mini-grants that must go toward creating or improving a school garden that grows Florida fruits and vegetables. Certified, general education Florida teachers engaged in classroom instruction at the prekindergarten through 12th grade level are eligible. The grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Proposals can be submitted through the Florida Agriculture in the Classroom website from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.

Introduction

Did you know that many schools in Florida are using gardens as a tool for hands-on, student-centered learning? Research has shown that children who participate in garden based nutrition interventions increase their servings of fruit and vegetables and that teachers perceive gardens to be very effective at enhancing academic performance, physical activity, language arts, and healthful eating habits.

Benefits of School Gardens

Gardens provide sensory stimulation of smells, textures, colors and sounds.
Gardening is a healthy outdoor activity for all youth.
Children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables they grow and improve their attitude toward fruits and vegetables.
Children can improve their self-esteem and attitudes toward school through gardening projects.
Children can learn environmental stewardship and scientific principles.
Community gardens foster group cohesion and improve interpersonal relationships.
Gardening projects help foster family relationships and increase parental involvement.

"Grow Healthy" – School Garden Project

In partnership with the Florida Department of Education’s Food and Nutrition Management/Office of Healthy Schools, and the Florida Department of Health’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, 86 schools have received “Grow Healthy”- school garden kits. To see the listing of schools, please click the links below.

Fall 2009 Participating Districts and Schools – Summaries and Pictures

Spring 2010 Participating Districts and Schools – Summaries and Pictures

Do you have a school garden? Tell us about it, e-mail with information and pictures of your school garden project. Your project may be featured on our interactive list of school gardens around Florida.

Resource Links

To sign up to be added to an E-mail distribution list regarding school garden information please E-mail: .