Little Gardeners Grow Abundance of Produce in School Garden

Video by Deanne Goodman, text by Carlsbad Unified School District

Garden Club fourth- and fifth-grade students celebrated their bountiful site garden and Red Ribbon Week commitment to making healthy choices at a ceremony on Oct. 24, 2011, which coincided with National Food Day. The event also honored Carlsbad-based , a world-renowned weight management services company that is donating $15,000 over three years in support of the program. Jenny Craig CEO Dana Fiser awarded Green Jaguar Gardening Certificates and strawberry plants to each student in recognition of their participation in the school’s six-week organic gardening and homegrown health mini-course.

After mingling with the students to find out how their garden grows and praising their green thumb ways with everything from carrots to chayote, Fiser presented a symbolic check for $5,000 to the school as the first-year donation, covering new beds, mulch and other garden necessities. She noted, “Jenny Craig exists to combat obesity and encourage healthy eating habits. We are so pleased to help our community at a level where it all begins: with the children.”

Jefferson Garden Coordinator Lisa Roop told the gathering how important it is to eat fresh, local food. She emphasized, “The closer it is to the actual dirt it comes from, the better the food is for you and for our environment.”

, states, “Corporate-school partnerships such as this are particularly needed and valued by Jefferson and our District. The $15,000 donation provided by Jenny Craig makes a statement to others in the business community that supporting education is vital in these challenging economic times. Directing that support toward an organic garden will help our students learn to be good environmental stewards and to understand the connection between nutrition and health.”