Life Lab’s Partner School Program strives to create a culture of garden-based learning in elementary schools to enhance science and nutrition education during school day instruction.
What We Do
Life Lab offers professional development, garden education and teaching resources, free curriculum, district nutrition strategies, and school garden support at our partner school sites.
Life Lab’s partnership with Santa Cruz (SCCS) and Live Oak (LOSD) provides support to students through integrative experiences in the classroom, garden, and cafeteria. Life Lab facilitated a professional development session with the food service staff of LOSD with an emphasis on using garden classrooms to introduce fruits and vegetables in the form of tastings. Life Lab established the connection between LOSD and SCCS and the Santa Cruz Community Farmers Market. Supporting the procurement of fruits and vegetables directly from the farmers market and the effort to get more school families engaged with the farmers market via the Harvest of the Month program.
Why We Do It
Our vision is that every student in Santa Cruz County public elementary schools experiences the wonders of science, the joy of eating nourishing foods, and the value and meaning of connecting with the earth and the food systems that sustain us through hands-on, garden-based education. We believe that academic success and student wellness improve when garden classrooms are core school assets.
Explore More
Life Lab facilitates the Santa Cruz County Garden Educator Network, where Life Lab staff and other garden educators from across the county can gather to network, share best practices, swap seeds and plants, and learn about Next Generation Science in the Garden curriculum and training opportunities made available free to all local public school garden educators.