A Farm to School Program
Planting Knowledge. Cultivating Community.
4 Districts | 24 Schools on the Southcoast… and counting!
Grow Education supports teachers, engages families, and educates students in creating healthier eating and living habits. In partnership with school districts, we are building a more equitable food system that promotes ecological literacy, health and sustainability.
See How Grow Education Supports, Engages, and Educates Here:
The Marion Institute’s Grow Education Program leads the classroom and curriculum portion of a Farm to School Project in partnership with:
- 4 School Districts, totaling 24 Schools in Southcoast, MA
- Food service departments
- And FoodCorps
With gardens in each of the 24 elementary school locations, professional development, and lesson plans supporting classroom activities, students are growing through each experience in the garden!
These school gardens function as an “outdoor classroom” where students learn relevant lessons about earth science, environmental and agricultural sustainability and nutrition.
Grow’s eco-programming compliments and enhances current school curriculum, while advancing a regional understanding and connection to the potential for youth leadership to play in a vital role in the regenerative development of their city or town.
Our Method
Grow Education uses school gardens as a platform for experiential and project- based learning with programming that is inclusive of the surrounding community. We work with New Bedford public schools and partner with community organizations to support the advancement of STEM curriculum while incorporating skills for healthy living and education on career opportunities in STEM-related fields.
Our Programs and Services
Grow Education has successfully built and developed programming through gardens at 12 New Bedford public schools. Unlike other school gardens, Grow gardens are community gardens located on public school property. In other words, we are providing a systemic approach uniquely supported across sectors, which means:
- We can work outside of the constraints of the public school systems
- We take a “community” approach to education, creating a partnership that exemplifies cross-sector service to youth in need
- We build collaborative partnerships with people and through organizations who can help us to increase the impact of our work
Partnerships
24 Grow Education Schools
Abraham Lincoln Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Alfred J. Gomes Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Alice A. Macomber School – New Bedford, MA
Betsey B. Winslow Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Carlos Pacheco Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Casimir Pulaski Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Charles S. Ashley Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Elizabeth C. Brooks Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Ellen R. Hathaway Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Elwyn G. Campbell Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Gomes Elementary (formerly Renaissance) – New Bedford, MA
Hayden-Mcfadden Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Jacobs Elementary – New Bedford, MA
James B. Congdon Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Jireh Swift Elementary – New Bedford, MA
John A.Parker Elementary – New Bedford, MA
John B. DeValles Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Sgt. William Carney Memorial Academy Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Sippican Elementary – Marion, MA
Thomas R. Rodman Elementary – New Bedford, MA
Trinity Day Academy – New Bedford, MA
Wareham Elementary – Wareham, MA
Westport Elementary – Westport, MA
William Taylor Elementary – New Bedford, MA
FoodCorps Partnership:
The 2024-2025 school year marks an exciting chapter for the Marion Institute’s Grow Education Farm-to-School (Grow FTS) program, as it welcomes five dedicated FoodCorps Service Members to support and grow its impact. These service members, part of the national AmeriCorps team, play a crucial role in communities across the country, partnering with educators and school nutrition leaders providing meaningful food education and experiences that support and celebrate student’s overall well-being.
GROW Education is proving that once the surrounding neighborhoods become engaged, the conversation about creating a healthy, sustainable ecosystem in the garden can naturally expand to the larger ecosystems surrounding those gardens. With evening and weekend workshops on everything from healthy food to sustainable energy use, GROW helps local schools fulfill their broader promise of strengthening the future for students, their families, and their surrounding communities.
Need Help Strengthening Your Community?
We offer consulting services for new and existing community garden and cross-cultural outreach programs.
