This school year, BREATHE LA awarded our organization with five $1,000 grants to start gardening programs at our elementary school sites in San Pedro and Wilmington. The program allows our students to grow their own healthy foods and add some beautiful plants to their school campuses. We started the program at Barton Hill Elementary, Park Western Elementary, Fries Avenue Elementary, Gulf Avenue Elementary, and George De La Torre Elementary.
As part of our after-school program, our students tend their gardens and learn about horticulture. Earlier this January, our George De La Torre Elementary students harvested bushels of kale that they planted in the Fall and made healthy salads for supper. Last week, they planted a new crop including snap peas, bell peppers and strawberries. They also planted perennial flowers in ceramic pots to beautify the campus.
Our students enjoying salads made with kale they grew.