   Get Involved in Youth Gardening - January 16, 2002 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Question: What activity can teach youth responsibility, patience, pride, self-confidence, critical thinking, and the art of nurturing? Answer: Gardening! Youth do better in other activities following participation in gardening projects and the positive effects as reflected in classroom performance have been shown to last two years or more. What's even better about it? It's fun. So, allow me to share some information about youth and school gardening. It may inspire you to get involved. School garden projects are one way to incorporate horticulture education into young people's lives. There are several gardens at various schools in the Verde Valley. For instance, Beaver Creek School in Rimrock has an excellent school garden with raised beds for vegetables, compost bins, flowers, and room to expand. Daniel Bright School in Cottonwood has a vegetable garden, a water feature, and an aviary. American Heritage Academy, in Clarkdale, has plans for a large garden plot at their new location. These gardens, and others, are great learning resources for the students. Starting a school garden can be challenging. School garden organizers must work to gain support, labor, materials, and funding from administrators, volunteers, parents, and the community. To assist in accomplishing these tasks, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension has published a book called "Success With School Gardens, How to Create a Learning Oasis in the Desert" by Linda Guy, Cathy Cromell, and Lucy Bradley. This book is also filled with helpful information about vegetables, flowers, and herbs in a school garden setting. Send a check payable to University of Arizona to Arizona Master Gardeners, 4341 E. Broadway Road, Box 192, Phoenix, AZ 85040-8807. Cost is $14.95, plus $2.00 shipping/handling per book. Purchase orders are accepted. Effective gardening lessons can also be delivered without a school garden. The Junior Master Gardener (JMG) curriculum was developed by Texas A & M for use by schools, 4H clubs, scouts, and other organized youth programs. With JMG, students explore plant processes, plant/insect interactions, and nutrition using inexpensive materials. JMG integrates science, music, language, and social studies into easy, fun, meaningful activities that encourage leadership development, personal pride and responsibility, and community involvement. Older youth are trained to become mentors for younger children in the program. Youth involved in the program develop critical thinking skills, and the ability to identify community concerns and take action to address them through individual group projects. In short, it's a great resource. The JMG website has more information at www.jmgkids.com. If you need motivation and would like to visit with others interested in youth gardening, attend a conference. The Fifth Annual Growing Awareness: Southwest Youth Gardening Conference will be held at Metro Tech High School in Phoenix February 22 and 23, 2002. National and Regional experts will present information about youth gardening at an innovative school practicing gardening as a tool for teaching. For more information about this conference, contact Carol Noyes at 602/470-8086, ext. 308 or visit the web site ag.arizona.edu/youthgardens/growingawareness. Urban Horticulture Agent, Lucy Bradley, of Maricopa County Cooperative Extension is the statewide leader for youth gardening programs. She is developing a web site to coordinate Arizona youth gardening information and events. The site is currently under construction, but functional. The site contains youth gardening information of all kinds, a calendar of events, resources, E-mail listservs, and how to contact others interested in youth gardening. Visit the site at ag.arizona.edu/youthgardens. As you can see, youth gardening is growing across Arizona. If you are currently involved in a youth gardening effort, or interested in getting involved, please let me know. I would be happy to direct you to information, resources, training opportunities, and help you coordinate volunteer assistance through Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Program. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest control. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. |