In a heartwarming show of support for nutrition education and food equity, Senator Winnie Brinks and her assistant, Kate Kooyman, recently visited the Gladiola Elementary School garden. This visit not only emphasized the value of hands-on nutrition learning but also demonstrated how school gardens have the potential to transform access to fresh, wholesome produce for students across Michigan.
During her visit, H.O.P.E Gardens executive director Julie Brunson introduced Senator Brinks to the tiny Cucamelon, also known as the Mexican sour gherkin which, according to our student gardeners, is the “star” of our gardens. To our delight, the senator gave it a wholehearted thumbs up.
The garden at Gladiola Elementary School, along with our thirteen other school gardens throughout the city of Wyoming serves as an interactive classroom for students, providing essential knowledge about how to grow their own food, healthy eating, and practicing regenerative gardening methods. All of our vibrant garden spaces are designed to empower children to establish a direct connection with the land and gain an understanding of the source of the nourishment that sustains them.
We appreciated the visit from Senator Winnie and Kate and were encouraged by their show of support for school garden education. Julie Brunson and our H.O.P.E. Gardens staff would love to see school gardens and garden education in every school in Michigan!
