GRAY, Ga. (WGXA) — Turner Woods Elementary School celebrated the launch of its new GROW program with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.
The initiative offers hands-on garden learning for students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Students kicked off their lessons by filling new raised beds with soil, marking the beginning of their educational journey in the garden. The program was made possible by the Bresse family, who donated a variety of supplies to the school.
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Rusty Bresse, Chief Executive Officer of Score Navigator, explained his motivation for the donation.
“What I saw from it was a great curriculum, a way for kids to come out here and do stuff, but it’s what happens afterwards, it’s what happens after the food is grown, and it’s the distribution out to the people, so I felt like it’s still a way to help feed people,” said Bresse.
The program also received financial support from a grant provided by the Whole Kids Foundation. The GROW program at Turner Woods Elementary is the first of its kind in Jones County, and joins some schools in Bibb County in this hands-on learning experience.
Chelsea McClain with the GROW Program says it’s designed to teach kids how to grow a “food forest” so they can be food secure.
“Growing a food forest is creating an ecosystem, and so once it’s established, which takes about three years, humans can walk away from it and it will continue to produce food,” said McClain.
Stick with WGXA as we learn more and keep you ready for what’s next.
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