Mississippi families and students plant Gardens in the Gulf

Thanks to a grant from the Captain Planet Foundation, Youth Villages staff and families joined Pascagoula High students and faculty to celebrate Gardens in the Gulf Day. Participants learned the science of organic gardening and constructed a garden in the school’s courtyard on Wednesday, April 25th. The families in attendance, who have received services from Youth Villages, put that knowledge to use by constructing organic gardens in their own backyards.  Materials for the school garden and the backyard gardens were included in the grant.

This program is designed to help Mississippi youth and families learn the basics of organic gardening and provide an exciting, hands-on learning experience on green living and healthy eating. 500 students at Pascagoula High and Martin Bluff Elementary will utilize the gardens to learn gardening techniques, botany, and to study ecosystems. Tending to the gardens can also be therapeutic, leading to better communications and problem solving skills.

The Mississippi Youth Villages Gardens in the Gulf Day is the second Youth Villages project the Captain Planet Foundation has funded. The first grant enhanced an existing organic vegetable, herb and flower garden at the Youth Villages-Inner Harbour campus in Douglasville, GA.