Grace Lower School Outdoor Learning Center

The newest addition to our Outdoor Space at Grace has been the planting of an American Heart Association Teaching Garden.

This garden was planted on Monday, September 19th. It’s part of an educational initiative to help build healthy bodies and minds. Grace held a Plant Day Celebration with fun activities including: making fresh pickles; painting apples; finger painting and students creating chia replicas of themselves. When the vegetables were harvested by the students, they ended up on lunch trays.

The Grace School Teaching Garden was created using American Heart Association science and nutrition guidelines as well as information from gardening and education experts. The program combines nutrition education with garden-based learning. It is a real-life laboratory where students learn how to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately understand the value of good eating habits.

Numerous studies have shown that participating in school gardening programs can improve students’ attitudes about fruits and vegetables. Grace School staff and students are excited about building a healthier student body, because experts say that kids who are healthy are proven to have higher academic performance.