Seed-to-School: A Garden Based Summer Curriculum

Petrash, Sierra

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Seed-to-School: A Garden Based Summer Curriculum Public Deposited

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/5138jg611

Abstract

Food insecurity is a rapidly growing issue within the United States. With the ever-pervasive prevalence of fast food and highly processed items, access to nourishing fresh food is rare and restricted to the most privileged members of society. Existing literature shows that the consequences of this are incredibly harmful to both the mental and physical health of those affected. Farm-to-school programs aim to address food insecurity and eliminate the associated adverse effects while providing children with outdoor environmental education.

Past research indicates a positive correlation between farm-to-school programs and students' overall well-being. I expanded on this notion by gathering information through an extensive literature review to examine food insecurity's mental and physical effects and how farm-to-school efforts address them. I read journal articles on the racial and financial demographic of food insecurity as well as the historical context for its unequal distribution in society. Additionally, I researched the necessary components of school curriculums and lesson plans to ultimately create my own.

Throughout my research, it became abundantly clear that childhood food insecurity is heavily dictated by race and socioeconomic status. Because of this, the adverse effects are primarily experienced by people of color. Farm-to-school programs play a role in addressing and rectifying many of the tolls of childhood food insecurity through the use of school gardens and providing students with access to fresh food and new forms of education. These programs comply with core academic standards required by public schools in the United States while simultaneously providing unconventional but successful methods.

The literature review enabled me to determine which aspects of food insecurity require attention and how school programs can assist in providing it. My results used this process to inform the creation of a week-long summer camp that employs farm-to-school methods. The curriculum creates a long-term solution that prioritizes student equity and food justice and contends for further research in this area.

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