District partnership with All About Food yields healthy produce, healthy students

PYLUSD has begun an exciting partnership with All About Food, an educational nonprofit organization with the mission of eliminating childhood malnutrition and obesity by giving children the knowledge and skills they need to eat well.

Teachers and students at Ruby Drive and Glenview elementary schools are engaged in powerful learning experiences designed to promote lifelong wellness. Presentations provided by trained instructors for all students cover topics such as “How Plants Grow” (first grade), “Garden Guests and Pests” (fourth grade), and “Calories and Metabolism” (fifth grade). These presentations are based on California State Content Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

Six garden beds were established at Ruby Drive back in September thanks to All About Food’s generous donors who are passionate about childhood nutrition and health. Numerous volunteers, Eagle Scouts, master gardeners from University of California, Irvine, and others pitched in to build the garden beds. Now the flourishing gardens have been harvested, and plans are in the works for a spring garden planting. Winter produce included radishes, carrots, lettuce, beets, spinach, kale, Swiss chard and snap peas, which students will use in tasty recipes. Students look forward to planting new spring produce soon.

Community volunteers had the opportunity to be part of Glenview garden project as well. On Saturday, Feb. 20, a team of volunteers worked hard at Glenview to build their six garden beds.

On Friday, March 4, students at Ruby Drive harvested the produce they grew. PYLUSD Chef Ramon Solorzano provided a cooking demonstration making beet and carrot salad.

Thanks to our generous community partners from All About Food under the leadership of Doug Gould, students at Ruby Drive and Glenview are making new connections, trying new foods and learning healthy practices!