• By Russell Luck
• Posted Monday, September 30, 2024

Program that teaches kids how to grow vegetables wins state award

The Growing Together initiative, which teaches local students about vegetables and how to grow them, has received a Child Health Recognition Award from the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation.

The Growing Together initiative is part of the Forsyth County Department of Public Health’s Be Healthy School Kids program. The ten-week after school gardening class lets elementary students in grades 3-5 try new vegetables, understand the benefits of healthy eating and learn how to plant a garden. Students learn how to start, care for and maintain a vegetable garden during the classes.

Produce harvested from the student gardens is not only taste tested by students but is also donated to the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, which provides free produce in food deserts in Forsyth County.

Since the program began in Fall 2023, 14 students have completed the program and earned their Junior Master Gardner Certificates. Classes are currently being held for this year at two recreation centers, and registration will reopen in July 2025 for next school year.

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Child Health Recognition Awards honors local health departments, public health staff and individuals for innovative, collaborative programs that improve the lives of North Carolina’s children. The awards include grants and scholarships that promote public health education or benefit child health programs.

“This award showcases the great work of Growing Together and will help us reach more third, fourth and fifth graders, so they can learn healthy eating habits and have access to healthy food they helped grow themselves,” said Forsyth County Public Health Director Joshua Swift.

For more information about the Be Healthy School Kids program, visit https://forsyth.cc/HHS/behealthy.aspx