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As a parent of a first grader at Live Oak Elementary School, I was heartened to see Lookout’s article covering Live Oak School District’s innovative farm-to-school meals program. The garden-based “Life Lab” learning program and “Food Lab” healthy foods class do fantastic work teaching kids about sustainable agriculture and good nutrition for life.
These programs provide tremendous opportunities for experiential education, teaching lessons about healthy food systems and advancing opportunities for small, organic farmers in the larger Monterey Bay Area. Leveraging the consumer power of our schools to support local, organic agriculture and community farmers markets, while enhancing science and nutrition education, is a transformational opportunity for our school district and local food movement.
Leaders within the school district have also identified a site for a future 1-acre farm at Del Mar Elementary School in an abandoned lot behind the school. They have partnered with local experts in the organic and sustainable agriculture field to develop an amazing vision to expand the existing work. With continued support from the school district and Live Oak community, let’s hope that our kids can grow up with a green and healthy farm in their neighborhood.
Jonathan Evans
Santa Cruz