West Middle School

The Growing Food Growing Health School Garden Project started in 2010 at West Middle School. In 2011, gardens at Sunset Hill and Hillcrest were established, extending the reach of the outdoor classrooms and environmental education to more students in our community. The gardens are tended by West Middle School students who are employed by The Merc Co-op as a job training and leadership development program. Through the course of the project, we’ve harvested more than 14,000 pounds of beautiful fruits, vegetables, and herbs. More than 2,000 pounds of the harvest has gone straight into the cafeteria for students to enjoy on their lunch plates. The remainder of the produce is sold through The Merc Co-op as a way to build financial sustainability for the project. We see the growing season as an opportunity to connect the entire student body at West to their school garden and create a robust and dynamic school garden culture which fosters a love of fresh vegetables and gardening. If you are interested in connecting with our gardens, contact Nancy O'Connor at nancy@growingfoodgrowinghealth.org for more information.