Based on the seed-to-table learning model initiated by Alice Waters in Berkeley, CA, The Edible Schoolyard integrates garden activities into the regular classroom curriculum to improve young students’ eating habits, invest students in their school communities, and enhance students’ academic performance. Now in its second year in the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS), The Edible Schoolyard is the fruit of collaboration between PPS personnel, teachers, parents, community members, and the non-profit organization Grow Pittsburgh.
In the fall of 2006, two Pittsburgh elementary schools piloted the project: Dilworth Traditional Academy in Highland Park and Faison Arts Academy in Homewood. Through a series of design Charettes and work days, both school communities participated in the planning and construction of permanent gardens. In the spring, students then started seeds in the classroom, prepared beds, and planted seeds in the garden. Returning to school in the fall of 2007, they harvested produce and sampled vegetables directly from the garden. The growing season culminated in a school-wide cooking demonstration in which two local chefs prepared fresh vegetables for the students, completing the link between seed and table.
Over the summer, area high school students tend the gardens as part of Grow Pittsburgh’s paid summer internship program. The program gives participants the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of sustainable agriculture, educate summer school students in the basics of nutrition, visit local farms, markets, and restaurants, and engage artistically with the gardens.
As The Edible Schoolyard moves ahead, many possibilities are being explored and pursued. These possibilities include extending the program into all PPS elementary schools, formally integrating garden activities into the science curriculum, aligning the school lunch menu with the gardens’ seasons, and creating a mobile kitchen. By giving students the opportunity to grow, prepare, and eat fresh vegetables, The Edible Schoolyard can make a lasting impact on students, their families, and their communities.
