New life growing in elementary school garden teaches kids the importance of food

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019

News 12 This Morning

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- Students in Richmond County honored the lives lost last week on 9/11 by giving back. It's part of the county's farm-to-school program. They spent the morning working on growing winter vegetables in the gardens at their school.​

Being inside on a warm and sunny day may be difficult for students, but kids at Bayvale Elementary were working hard for a purpose last week.

"I just love doing it and seeing kids out here having fun," said Robert Sims.

Sims is a Food Corps Service member working full-time at Bayvale Elm.

"When I first got here, a lot of the kids didn't want to try new foods. I like to grow different varieties of food like purple mustard greens, Asian cabbages." Sims explained.

Arielle Kremer is the Nutrition Serveses Coordinator for the Richmond County School System. She's helping oversee Sims and his project.

"Robert is able to get them into the gardens to help us make that connection between the classroom to the cafeteria," Kremer told News 12.

Now, some of the kids are embracing new types of foods and flavors.

"The kids love it, and it's amazing to see how many of them are actually interested in tasting vegetables when they're involved in growing them."

At least half of schools across Richmond County have impressive gardens like Bayvale, and when the food is finished growing it goes directly to the school's cafeteria, and even the classroom.

"These kids that are involved in growing are much more likely to eat them later."

And on a day like Sept. 11th, when so many lives were lost, there's new life growing each day in these gardens.

"Which is why it's so important to build gardens, begin regrowth to remember that day and to incorporate that with our students."