Last May and September, Grandview High School health students visited the Beanstalk Children’s Garden to learn more about the nutritional benefits of growing a garden. They were so inspired by their visit that they decided to explore healthy alternatives for food at their own school.

Ms. Dolinar, health teacher at Grandview High School, invited the Beanstalk and Giving Grove staff to participate in her students’ Project Based Learning presentations as part of a panel.

The students were asked to redesign a part of the school and make it healthier and the Beanstalk staff were given a rubric and asked to listen, critique, and engage the students in a discussion about their projects. 

“It was so exciting and inspiring to hear what the students took away from their visit to the Beanstalk. Many had never eaten fresh berries straight from the plant and wanted to bring that experience to their peers. Others loved how relaxing nature can be, and wanted a similar space to the Beanstalk pond area for their school. Most wanted to incorporate food fresh from the garden into their diets.”

– Nikki Schaper, Beanstalk Garden Assistant

The Project-Based Learning presentation gave them a platform to talk about what mattered most to them.

Some examples of student ideas included:

• Adding apple trees to the courtyard so students have a healthy alternative to the snack machine.
• Cut down on the amount of processed foods used in the cafeteria.
• Implement relaxation spaces to help stressed students relax.
• Create more garden beds to increase the amount of fresh veggies available for consumption.

KCCG will follow up with Grandview High School to see what they decide to do. Stay tuned for developments!