School Garden Workshop Turns Gardens into Learning Labs

Two-year grant from the Harvey C. Dietrich Fund ensures future training and nutrition programs

Thanks to a generous grant from the Harvey C. Dietrich Fund, The University of Arizona’s School Garden Workshop is paving the way for schools around the state to pair Arizona’s agricultural tradition and practices with lessons in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

In the first year of the two-year grant, the program will receive $75,000; $50,000 will be awarded in year two.

“This generous gift will help us scale school garden enrichment across the region and beyond through increased teacher professional development training, increased University of Arizona school garden intern training, and expanded culturally responsive culinary and nutrition programming,” said Moses Thompson, Director, University of Arizona, School Garden Workshop.

This unique program, which began in 2009, places undergraduate and graduate students trained in basic agriculture sustainability as interns at school gardens in low-income, underserved Tucson neighborhoods. The interns support the installation, maintenance, and enhancement of these public gardens and work alongside teachers, coordinators, and K-12 students to turn the gardens into learning environments, establishing productive sources of healthy food.

Interns spend anywhere from 4-12 hours each week at their site and provide group instruction and mentorship to students, teachers, school coordinators, and more to help build life skills and education-based knowledge.

The program also works with community partners such as the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Mission Garden, and Tucson Village Farm, among others, to ensure students become actively engaged in building a sustainable food supply in the community.

Additional grantees of the Harvey C. Dietrich Fund in 2024 include Bikooh Cooperative in Tuba City, Pivot Produce and Manzo Elementary in Tucson, the Morley Arts District in Nogales, Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior, and Natural Restorations in Gilbert, among others.