Gardening for Good at Summit Atlas High

On the busy corner of Roxbury & 35th street our school garden thrives, filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, peas, and carrots. This garden is doing more than just providing our AP Environmental Science class with an educational opportunity; it’s helping to solve a bigger problem known as food deserts. Urban food deserts are areas where it’s hard to find affordable fresh produce, where there are no large grocery stores and supermarkets, and instead, neighborhoods are filled with convenience stores and fast-food restaurants that don’t benefit the low-income communities around us.

In our school garden we are growing tomatoes, snap peas, kale, cucumbers and carrots. We have our crops organized into different sections based on how much space they need and if they are vine-like plants that need trellises to climb. These crops meet our design criteria by providing lots of healthy food for the community including tomatoes which can be used in many different cultures in our community. The peas are also nitrogen-fixing, which is beneficial for other crops and carrots are very land efficient. All three are also crops that are easy to grow and maintain. They grow quickly and fit our climate in Seattle. They also all require the same type of soil. The produce we harvest will be donted to the White Center Food bank to help address food insecurity in our community.

We will be using many different pest management techniques and irrigation methods to maintain our school garden such as, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, companion planting crop rotation, and mulching to promote health growth and minimize environmental impact. We´ll avoid harmful chemicals by using these methods. Mulching will help save water and keep the soil healthy. By combining all these methods our garden will be vibrant and good for both the environment and our school.

In conclusion, the establishment of our garden at Summit Atlas serves a dual purpose: to educate and provide hands-on learning opportunities while also promoting the health and nutrition of our community. By joining the Seattle Giving Garden Network, we are committed to reducing food insecurity and understanding the significance of sustainability within our food system. Within our giving school garden, we aim to cultivate not only plants, but also a deeper sense of responsibility towards our environment and future generations.

Sincerely,

Summit Atlas High School Students