In April of 2011, USDA Food and Nutrition Services awarded a consortium of four Land Grant Universities the People’s Garden School Pilot Program. Washington State University served as the lead institution in collaboration with Cornell University, Iowa State University, and the University of Arkansas to develop the Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth (HGHY) program. The pilot program ended in 2013.
The project was implemented by 24 Extension educators across Arkansas, Iowa, New York, and Washington. By the conclusion of the project, these Extension educators had collected 86,000 surveys, taken 129,000 lunch tray photos, implemented 4,000 educational toolkit lessons, and planted 6,200 square feet of gardens.
The information on this page is archived content; the project is no longer active. Upon registration, you can access and use the project’s educational toolkit (click here). You can view the research outcomes from the project here.
Project News Items |
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Media Materials |
National News Items |
Blog |
Arkansas News Items |
Presentations & Publications |
Iowa News Items |
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New York News Items |
YouTube Channel |
Washington News Items |
Media Materials:
Full Media Kit: One-page synopses of core elements of the project: Project Overview; Educational Toolkit; Research Approach & Methodology; In the Schools; Participating Schools; and Project Personnel
Media Kit Components (individual one-page synopsis of each element)
Project overview: Overview of project
Educational Toolkit Overview: Components of the Toolkit and the philosophy behind selection and implementation of the toolkit.
Research Overview: Overview of the research questions and approach
In the Schools: Overview of how the project works with participating schools.
Participating Schools: List of schools involved in the project by state (AR, IA, NY, and WA).
Project Personnel: List of National, State, and local personnel participating in the project.
Additional Elements
Hiawatha Elementary School’s Participation: Overview of a participating school in the People’s Garden, Healthy Gardens Healthy Youth program.
Peoples Garden in Washington: Overview of the People’s Garden, Healthy Garden Healthy Youth project in Washington state.
Short Overview: Two-page overview of the People’s Garden Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth project
Project News Items
National
News Items
- RISE Volunteers Mentor Young Gardeners, USDA Blog, Oct 31, 2013.
- Making a Big Difference Through the Simple Act of Gardening, USDA Blog, April 23, 2013.
- Students Get Involved: In Arkansas, a Healthy Garden Means a Healthy School, USDA Blog, September 21, 2012.
- Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth School Pilot Program: Training Teachers Coast to Coast. USDA Blog April 26, 2012.
- Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth School Pilot Program. USDA Blog, Dec 23, 2011.
- Celebrating National Gardening Month with Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth Programs. Let’s Move, April 11, 2011.
Arkansas
Iowa
News Items
- Celebrate USDA heritage, Land-Grant Legacy, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Message from the Vice President, June, 2012.
- Wellmark Foundation grant funds awarded to local organizations to promote healthy living, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, April 7, 2012.
- People’s Garden reps tour program sites in Iowa, Radio Iowa, KQWC, Webster City, IA, May 11, 2012.
- “People’s Garden” Connects Students to Learning; Healthy Eating, KCRG Channel 9, Cedar Rapids, IA, May 10, 2012.
- Iowa State is part of People’s Garden School Pilot Program, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Message from the Vice President, May, 2011
- Iowa State is Part of People’s Garden School Pilot Program, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, April 7, 2011
- Hiawatha Elementary School’s Participation: Overview of a participating school in the People’s Garden, Healthy Gardens Healthy Youth program. Check out the students’ blog here and ISU Linn County’s webpage
New York
News Items
- School gardens grow kids’ physical activity levels. Cornell Chronicle, Mar 20, 2014.
- Extension’s school garden project grows success. Cornell Chronicle, Dec 23, 2013.
- Seniors, kids grow as one: Gardens shared at 4 city schools, The Daily Gazette, June 17, 2013.
- Cornell Garden Research, Delaware County Times, March 31, 2013.
- For retirees, a chance to RISE and shine, The Daily Gazette, March 12, 2013.
- Retirees sought for school gardens program, The Daily Gazette, March 10, 2013.
- School Gardens Sprout Up Across Nation to Curb Obesity, New York Ag Connection, October 26, 2012
- Researchers Test How School Gardens Foster Healthful Habits, New York Ag Connection, October 25, 2012
- Researchers test how school gardens foster healthful habits, Cornell Chronicle, October 17, 2012
- School gardens sprout up across nation to curb obesity, Cornell Chronicle, October 17, 2012
- People’s Garden Takes Root at Downsville Central School: Walton Reporter, June 6, 2012: Glenn Graves
- $1M will launch 70 school garden programs, 23 in N.Y., Cornell Chronicle, April 8, 2011
Washington
News Items
- Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth-Almost Wordless Wednesday, eXtension Master Gardener Blog, Oct 31, 2013.
- $1 Million Grant Funds WSU Extension ‘Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth’ Project, CAHNR and WSU Extension Marketing, News, and Educational Communications, April 7, 2011
- Peoples Garden in Washington: Overview of the People’s Garden, Healthy Garden Healthy Youth project in Washington state.
Presentations & Publications
- Research Brief #4: School Gardens Enhance Children’s Science Knowledge
- Gaolach, B., N. M. Wells, K. V. Barale, M. E. Aitken, E. Myers, G. Ferenz, C. Tse, N. Franz, K. Pattison, J. Carson, L Connerly, and L. Falk. 2014. Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth: People’s Garden School Pilot Project. 7th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference. Austin, TX. April 15-18, 2014.
- Gaolach, B., M. Aitken, K. Barale, N. Wells, E. Myers, G. Ferenz, C. Tse, J. Toering, J. Carson, L. Connerly, and L. Falk. 2013. Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth – People’s Garden School Pilot Project. Galaxy IV Conference. Pittsburgh, PA. Sept 16-20, 2013.
- Gaolach, B., K. Wilson, C. Kiang, and D. Thurness. 2013. People’s garden school pilot program. American Community Gardening Association Annual Conference. Seattle, WA. Aug 8-10, 2013.
- Echon, R. M. 2013. Evaluation of national school lunch and breakfast programs; using digital food image analysis. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior: Volume 45, Issue 4, Supplement, S80-81 (July–August 2013).
- Rollings, K.A., & Wells, N.M., (2013). Cafeteria assessment for elementary schools (CAFES): Instrument Development. Environmental Design Research Association annual meeting. Providence RI. May 2013
- Wells, N.M., Myers, E.M., Echon, R., Wilkins, J.L., Militello, R. (2013). Lunch tray photography: measuring children’s dietary intake at school. Environmental Design Research Association annual meeting. Providence RI. May 2013
- Myers, E.M. & Wells, N.M. (2013). Development of the system for observing children’s physical activity while gardening (SOCPAG). Environmental Design Research Association annual meeting. Providence RI. May 2013
- Wells, N.M., Myers, E.M. Gaolach, B., Henderson, C., Wilkins, J., Ferenz, G., Aitken, M., Tse, C., Barale, K., Toering, J., Naeve, L., Carson, J., Connerly, L., Falk, E. (2013). Examining the effects of school gardens on children’s diet and physical activity: A randomized controlled trial. Environmental Design Research Association annual meeting. Providence RI. May 2013
- Gaolach, B., M. Aitken, and G. Ferenz. 2013. Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth Part 1- Program and Research Overview. National Urban Extension Conference. Overland Park, KS. May 6-10, 2013.
- Barale, K. G. Ferenz, and B. Gaolach. 2013. Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth Part 2- Educational Toolkit and Distance Education. National Urban Extension Conference. Overland Park, KS. May 6-10, 2013.
- Myers, E.M. & Wells, N.M. (2013). Observing children’s physical activity while gardening: validity and reliability. Active Living Research conference, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. San Diego CA, Feb 25-28.
- Gaolach, B.1, M. Aitken1, G. Ferenz2, K. Barale1, N. Wells3, B. Myers3, C. Henderson3, J. Wilkins3, C. Tse2, J. Toering4, L. Naeve4, J. Carson5, L Connerly5, and L. Falk3. 2012. Healthy gardens, healthy youth: People’s garden school pilot project. Sustainable Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Symposium. Pullman, WA. Dec 2012.
- Myers, B.M., Wells, N.M., & Demment, M. (2012). School and physical activity: Environmental and policy influences on children’s time outdoors. Environmental Design Research Association annual meeting, Seattle, WA. May 2012
- Wells, N.M. (2012). School Gardens & Children’s Health: Research Challenges & Strategies. College of Sustainability. Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Feb 2012