MED HIGH STUDENTS GO GREEN (THUMB)

Med High starts nutrition garden, will grow organic food for school cafeteria

MERCEDES – South Texas High School for Health Professions (Med High) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 23 to celebrate the birth of its new nutrition garden. Supported by the South Texas Initiative for Child Nutrition through Agriculture, a University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) project, Med High students will use the garden to grow organic fruits and vegetables for the school cafeteria and teach students about the benefits of healthy eating.

Gardening teaches people how to care for the environment and how to create a sustainable food supply. Though it will primarily be used to grow healthy produce, the garden will also be used as an outdoor classroom where students can learn about nutrition, ecology, biology and various other subjects.

Jessica Monroe, Med High art teacher and nutrition garden sponsor, worked with Med High students and teachers as well as UTPA administrators to make the nutrition garden go from a wish to a reality.

“As a magnet school focused on health careers, we (Med High) are especially excited to join a growing community of schools that uses gardens as a fun and practical way to teach kids about food, health and nature,” Monroe said. “With the alarming rate of juvenile diabetes and obesity, it is more important than ever to give students the tools to make healthy choices.’

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, students filled the garden beds with barrels of fertile soil. They planted watermelon, cantaloupe, squash and okra seeds, which are good summer crops, and avocado, Barbados cherry, star fruit and lime trees. They will eventually sow soybeans and other seeds at the start of the new school year.

The nutrition garden is located on the south side of the Med High campus. For more information on starting a nutrition garden, call Jessica Monroe at (956) 565-2237.

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