Fort Worth schools are about to get growing again!
Gardens at many Fort Worth ISD schools flourished prior to the pandemic, but those efforts withered when remote learning and social distancing changed everyone’s focus. Now, as we celebrate National Garden Month, Blue Zones Project is digging in with area campuses and community partners to help new gardens take root throughout the community.
The gardens are an important part of Blue Zones Project’s commitment to make Fort Worth one of the healthiest cities in the country. School gardens come with a host of well-being benefits. According to research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, school gardens encourage students to eat fruits and vegetables, provide opportunities for them to get active, and promote better grades. Gardens are also linked to happier moods and interpersonal skills, lower rates of obesity, and healthier habits lasting into adulthood, research shows
That’s especially valuable in communities where Blue Zones Project has focused its school garden work. Of the 20 area schools that have teamed with Blue Zones Project to establish or maintain gardens, most are in under-resourced communities with higher rates of obesity and chronic disease. The gardens are one of many ways Blue Zones Project and North Texas Healthy Communities —the nonprofit outreach arm of Texas Health Resources—is working to reverse those trends.
“Students who dig in the dirt and see fruits and vegetables grow right before their eyes are naturally engaged, curious, and happy. They’re learning about themselves and the world around them—no screens, just fresh air and healthy activity in an outdoor classroom,” said Matt Dufrene, vice president of Blue Zones Project Fort Worth. “Studies show that teachers, staff, and even surrounding neighborhoods can reap benefits as well. As we help bring school gardens back to life, we’re also putting more people on track to longer, better lives.”
What’s more, the effort has spread, with parents and community partners helping to get these gardens growing in the right direction.
Local companies such as Aramark and Alcon are also getting into the act. Aramark K-12 employees who service Fort Worth ISD, along with several district Child Nutrition staff, recently dedicated a morning to rebuilding beds at Edward J. Briscoe Elementary. In late April, employee volunteers from Alcon will take part in a garden transformation at Morningside Elementary. Joining Blue Zones Project and Morningside volunteers, they will clear away old beds, weed and plant, water, lay mulch, and paint river rocks to serve as markers for the various fruits and vegetables. Alcon is also contributing gardening supplies, equipment and bed materials, and The Botanical Research Institute of Texas and Tarrant Area Food Bank have each donated seedlings. Meanwhile, Blue Zones Project will provide healthy snacks and lunch.
“Our garden has always been a point of pride, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone helping get it back in shape,” said Vanessa Cuarenta, Morningside Elementary principal. “Our students love learning about plants and helping maintain the garden. They’re getting tangible lessons in science, nutrition, and healthy eating, while also learning the value of patience and hard work.”
That learning is exploratory and fun, according to Mary Jo Greene, a school garden educator who works directly with Blue Zones Project to support these efforts. Greene’s company, Made Greene, works with campuses across Fort Worth ISD, helping create and implement plans to revive or maintain gardens and regularly visiting to help students and employees hone their skills.
“When kids are introduced to gardening at a young age, they are making connections to the natural world and cultivating an appreciation of the rich rewards that come from the soil,” said Greene. “It’s gratifying to know that the seeds we are planting today will set these children up for a lifetime of well-being.”