Thanks to you and other generous donors, Columbus City Schools (CCS) will be able to expand and enhance existing school gardens across the district.

Since 2018, in partnership with Ohio State University (OSU) Extension, CCS’ Farm to School program has implemented a series of integrated garden lessons that teachers can access for support. Teachers participate in professional development throughout the school year, collaborating with other teachers across the district as well as receiving support from community partners like OSU Extension, Local Matters, Franklinton Farms, Highland Youth Garden, and Franklin Park Conservatory to enhance education on nutrition and agriculture.

Through the CCS Farm to School program, students plant, harvest, and taste what they grow while learning about cooperation and caring for living things. Teachers are able to address health disparities by increasing the availability of fresh produce for students. The curriculum utilizes these lessons to teach the importance of where food comes from and its nutritional value. Students who have participated in school garden projects and other experiential-based agriculture programming demonstrate improved life skills, apply science concepts to real-world experiences, and develop an increased awareness of agricultural careers.

Support for this project helped provide portable cooking carts for harvesting and cooking produce; materials to build an outdoor raised bed with season extension so students can grow winter produce; indoor grow towers to allow students to plant, grow, observe, and harvest in the classroom throughout the school year; garden-themed books for the student mentoring program; and general gardening supplies.

Thank you for helping Columbus City Schools expand and enhance its Farm to School program to promote academic learning, STEM skills, and workforce development through gardening education.

We are Better Together!

"I enjoy gardening because I know if I put the work into it, I can enjoy the food that we grow." 

—Yurieliz, 4^th grade student, Devonshire Elementary