School Gardens
A 2006 study undertaken by Nemours Health and Prevention Services found that approximately 40% of Delaware children were obese or overweight. In 2005 the Centers for Disease Control reported that only 16.3% of Delaware students ate 5 servings of fruits/vegetables per day.
It’s statistics like this that have inspired a growing movement in New Castle County. School gardens are becoming more and more popular across the nation. The benefits of them are numerous; they offer students an opportunity to learn healthy eating and basic nutrition in a hands-on way; gardening provides moderate exercise and brings students out of the classroom to connect with the natural world; and they are beautiful representations of what student initiative can produce!
Explore our Youth Community Gardens
(Featured gardens below will open in a new window)
Hedgeville Children's Garden ►
Shearman Street Community Garden ►
Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids
TheDCH has partnered with Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids, Inc. (HFHK), led by Dr Thianda Manzara on several grants for school gardens. We provide our expertise in general horticulture, garden construction, and ornamentals while HFHK utilizes their skills with schools, teachers, cafeteria staff, and nutritionists. HFHK also leads vegetable gardening in the school year and teaches nutrition programming to participating classes. Together, we are working to create a healthier Delaware.
DOW Grant
After receiving a grant from DOW, TheDCH and HFHK were able to implement the Education Cultivation Program which seeks to strengthen science education by providing children with “hands-on, minds-on” learning opportunities, through the process or growing a vegetable garden each semester and promoting healthier eating and recreation. With the help of HFHK four schools: Brookside, McVey, West Park Place, and Downes, have installed vegetable gardens and planted, watered, harvested, and eaten from them while learning about vegetables and nutrition. Garden Steering Committees have been formed at each school to provide in-school leadership for garden. These four gardens serve approximately 1500 students annually.
Douglass Alternative School Garden
The Douglass Alternative School vegetable garden was implemented in August 2009. It consists of raised beds covering a 192 square foot area. In May of 2010, TheDCH staff led a perennial planting. Coordinated by the 8th grade boys, this addition provided 150 sq. ft. of growing space. These gardens were installed with TheDCH leadership and funded by a private donor. Last summer HFHK led both the vegetable planting and the Seed to Table harvest programming. Seed to Table engaged all grades of students, from 1st to 8th grade, assisting the youth with planting seeds, watering, and monitoring vegetables throughout the growing season, which is in the spring or fall school semester. The students then harvested the crops they are prepared and served in the school cafeteria. 7th and 8th graders are taking on maintenance of perennial beds with some help from younger grades.
