3 Community gardens sport. According to the International Junior Master Gardener Program, studies show that fifth, sixth and seventh grade students developed better interpersonal relationship skills after participating in a school or community garden program. Earlier this year, middle school students at John Rex planted a pizza garden with several OKC Thunder players. promote relationships. Community gardening is a team “This was one of the most fun experiences we’ve ever had here at the gardens,” said Bramhall. “It’s not very often that you have professional basketball players coming in to work with your students, especially when it’s nature-based learning.” Working together toward a common goal provides a sense of accomplishment through collaboration. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and expected to launch again this fall, adults and children are welcome volunteers in SixTwelve’s community garden on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. In exchange, volunteers may take home freshly-
harvested garden produce and eggs from the henhouse. An unexpected bonus occurs in making a new friend or two. Miller believes children benefit most from being involved in an organization with adults who know which plants will likely result in success. Restore Farms, which is helping solve the nutrition needs of the surrounding food desert by offering fresh, free vegetables from their gardens, provides volunteer opportunities for adults and children on Friday mornings and the second Saturday of each month. To accommodate for social distancing while still serving neighbors, Restore OKC is currently limiting the number of volunteers and accepting only one family at a time to garden at partner schools. 4 Community gardens can spark career interests. We typically expose children to traditional career choices — doctor, lawyer, teacher. But introducing children to horti- culture and agriculture can introduce a new myriad of career options. Miller approaches her role at Restore Farms with the goal of assisting students in finding their passions.
students learn about nature from textbooks, but here at the gardens, we have it around us every day.” Miller, who’s also a horticulturalist and educator, asserts kids are the best gardeners. Miller describes the delight children experience when they plant seeds and first notice the root structures developing as simply magical. Amy Young, executive director of SixTwelve, a Paseo Arts District community education center for all ages, is so convinced of the importance of community gardens that she has tailored her career to promote growing and preparing food with children. SixTwelve’s pre-K and after-school programs for ages 6 to 17 include teaching gardens, immersing kids in nature “from seed to fork” with a goal of creativity and sustainability. Children are involved in the entire process of growing food, preparing their harvest and eating the fruits of their labors. SixTwelve’s director of permaculture Paul Mays urges parents to involve children in gardening and cooking from an early age, and above all else, to just get outside!
Supporting Change– For the Better
Ten-year-old Brixton Ison volunteers every Friday night at Celebrate Recovery Memorial Road Church of Christ. Whether setting a dining table, distributing informational material, or preparing a dish for a family-friendly dinner, his passion for helping others is a prime example of why we’re inspired by kids like Brixton . At Kimray, our mission is to make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Brixton exemplifies this by living out that mission in the service he provides to his community. And that’s The Kimray Way.
14 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / SUMMER 2020
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