The Berkeley Public School Gardening and Cooking Program has been offering prekindergarten to high school students a gardening and cooking education for over twelve years. The District-wide program supports student learning in science, math, and language arts, and encourages students to explore the value of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, getting physical activity, and knowing where their food comes from. These exploratory lessons that focus on whole child education have become an integral part of a Berkeley student’s academic life.
Our program is now at a crossroads. After being funded annually with a $1.9 million federal grant for health and nutrition programs, the program is currently operating on a lifeline with a piecemeal budget. We are exploring deeper partnerships with the Berkeley and Bay Area community to facilitate a multitude of learning experiences that connect students from all walks of life within our public school gardens.
The last two fundraisers for this school year are happening in the next two months! To start, we hope to see you all out and about town for Dine Out on May 13th, which is when the community and local businesses show their support by contributing a percentage of sales to our program. Last year, over 40 local food establishments and customers helped us raise $25,000 for the program. Visit our event website to learn more.
We are committed to providing these exploratory educational experiences to Berkeley students in our cooking and gardening learning laboratories and we can’t do it without your help. Learn more about our Gardening and Cooking Program.
For more information about these events, how you can donate to support the program, and how you can sponsor the gala auction, please contact Jezra Thompson, the Gardening & Cooking Program Supervisor, with any queries and interests, at jezrathompson@berkeley.net or (510)486-9350.
