Acton-Boxborough Regional High School: A new student-inspired garden might provide the perfect recipe for easing out of a stress-filled day and, at the same time, grow tasty produce and herbs.
The Student Wellness Committee came up with the idea of a garden to help students de-stress after the demands of a busy school day. Kirsten Nelson, Director of Food and Nutritional Services, said her department wrote a grant application to the MA FRESH CORP (MA Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health with Coordination and Optimization of Resources and Partnerships), a state-funded competitive grant program that seeks to foster “experiential, high-quality, culturally and linguistically sustaining learning environments about our local food system.”
Students helped design the garden. Early in the support-building process, Sarah and Justin made a presentation to interested students and staff, positioning this effort as part of a larger initiative to introduce “pathways within the high school to decrease anxiety and provide support.” In a genuine team effort, the garden was built last fall by food service employees, student volunteers, participants in Senior Service Day, and members of the District Wellness Advisory Committee.
The result is an outdoor garden space right next to the school building. The garden has a flat surface of cardboard, dirt, and woodchips, all biodegradable, and six raised beds, and has an irrigation system. According to Nelson, the plot will grow romaine lettuce, and herbs such as parsley, basil, chives, and cilantro, providing truly locally produced food for the cafeteria’s salad bar.
James Conboy is the sports beat reporter for the Acton Exchange and covers a variety of other community-oriented events and programs.
