About 80 youngsters from P.S. 39 finally got to harvest their crops on Monday, which they had planted earlier this year as part of a structured lesson on gardening and eating right.
[Photo source: silive.com]
The school, in partnership with the American Heart Association and the YMCA, opened the borough's first Teaching Garden alongside their building on Sand Lane in South Beach. The students harvested tomatoes, mint, basil, squash, peppers, and cucumbers. They then learned how make healthy lettuce wraps with their fresh harvest, with the guidance of AHA volunteers.Â
[Photo source: silive.com]
The American Heart Association provided the school with the materials for both the hands-on growing and the classrom aspects of the lessons. The in-class discussions covered topics such as the importance of balanced nutrition and adequate exercise. The students were responsible for the garden from start to finish, from planting seeds, to weeding and maintaining them, to properly harvesting and eating their fruits and vegetables when they became ripe.
The AHA states that less than 1 percent of children today have ideal cardiovascular health. The Teaching Gardens program aims to create an approachable enivironment for students to learn how to create a healthier lifestyle for themselves by planting seeds, nurturing plants, harvesting food and ultimately understanding the value of good eating habits and the importance of physical activity.
Posted by Dil Gillani on
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