For many people, working in the yard may seem like a chore, but students at Douglas Elementary School in Tyler are excited about gardening.
The planting, digging and pulling is about more than just plants, though. The students are walking away with knowledge and nourishment.
“We can learn how to cook more healthy stuff,” said fourth grader Justine Salas.
“We learn how to describe things in an upper vocabulary,” added fifth grader Janiyah Green.
As the plants have grown outside Douglas in the last four years so has students’ interest in gardening.
“Teaching science after school keeps these kids engaged, keeps these kids working, keeps these kids busy, gives them a real life application of why we're at school,” said Reyes Gomez, one of the club’s faculty sponsors.
Along with those lessons, the garden also provides nourishment some of students might not find elsewhere.
“You can see which kids are not filling their bellies up at the end of the day,” said Gomez. “We give 'em everything we’ve got... everything we have... and that's what this garden is for.”
If you are interested in starting your own community garden, or improving an existing one, Fit City Tyler is offering grant assistance.
Recipients of the “Planting Seeds for Success” grant will be awarded materials and education resources donated by East Texas businesses and organizations.
Click here to learn more about the grant.
The deadline to apply is Friday, September 30.