A new vegetable and fruit garden at McKinley High School is planting a seed for a future full of healthy eating.
The school partnered with Southern’s Ag Center to get the program off the ground.
“We are very excited because McKinley High is located in a food desert, so there is no real, fresh produce within like a mile radius,” McKinley High advanced nutrition teacher Kiera Deloch said.
In Deloch’s class, students get hands-on experience in the garden. They are learning how to grow food and which foods grow best in each season.
They then take the gardening skills back to the classroom. Deloch teaches them not only how to grow the food, but also how to prepare and cook it.
Students are also learning that by growing your own fruits and vegetables, they can save money at the store.
Deloch hopes this class introduces students to healthy foods, creating a lifestyle they can maintain after graduation.
