PreventObesity.net // Smart Snack Sweetheart

Tell me about yourself and what you do?

"I have taught in DallasISD for 41 years. For the first 38 years, I was a Language Arts teacher. Four years ago our principal, Menay Harris, asked me to be the garden coordinator to help rebuild our garden.

Our school had a small in-ground garden in place in 1999, but by 2002 the garden was languishing and was in need of a makeover. Parent John Tatum spearheaded the idea of establishing a new and better garden. With the help of Gardeners in Community Development, Don Lambert, Junior League of Dallas, Kramer’s Dad’s Club, Les Dames D’Escoffier, National Gardening Association, Preservation Tree Service, Kramer PTA and volunteers, the garden was enlarged and improved. New additions to the garden included a gazebo, composting center and more vegetable beds. The garden was used to enhance science knowledge by garden observations and hands-on experiences with plants, seeds and soil.

By 2011, the garden was falling into disrepair again and was ready for another makeover. This is when I started the job of rebuilding the garden. I applied for 3 Junior League of Dallas grants and a Real School Garden grant. We were lucky to receive all 4 grants for $84,000.  The 3 Junior League of Dallas grants were for$6,000 and the Real School Garden grant was for $78,000. The Real School Garden grant helped to finish our garden plans by adding a huge outdoor classroom, a water feature, an Earth science station, 4 more vegetable beds and 2 perennial beds. The grant would also give us 3 years of professional development to guide teachers in using the garden to teach any subject or skill.

On May 3, 2014, we held our BIG DIG from 8:00-3:00. We had Kramer students, parents, staff, neighborhood volunteers, sponsors from FedEx, Bank of America, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Junior League of Dallas members and the Junior Group of the Marianne Scruggs Garden Club. 300 people helped to build a beautiful learning garden that gives our students hands-on experiences in planting, harvesting and tasting the fruits and vegetables we grow. Teachers are using our natural classroom to teach a myriad of subjects, skills and concepts. Students and teachers LOVE learning and teaching in our garden.

We have partnered with our neighborhood Whole Foods and the Healthy Eating Specialist, Lacey Baxter, visits our school once a month to conduct hands-on cooking classes using herbs, fruits and vegetables from our garden to prepare healthy pizzas, smoothies and other snacks. All students in PreK-5th grade take part in the nutrition classes and learn first-hand the importance of eating healthy foods every day. The classes support what the students learn about Go, Slow and Whoa foods. Students are taking home what they are learning about food and sharing it with their parents. Many classes had healthy smoothies as a treat at their Valentine Party. Students are also trying new fruits and vegetables that they have never had before.

Because students plant, harvest and eat fruits and vegetables from our garden, they are making stronger connections to nutrition. They have a vested interest in what is going on in our garden. They are also learning how different vegetables grow and the different parts of the plants we eat.

We have 2-3 garden workdays each year to weed, prune and maintain our garden areas. Students and parents attend these workdays to help out and find that they enjoy experiencing the garden together.

Our garden has made it so easy to connect classroom learning to real life experiences and at the same time teach our students to make healthy life choices.

Next year, we want to expand our students’ knowledge about preparing healthy snacks and have a Smart Snack recipe contest. We are having a Passport to Health Fair in March and want to expand it to include nutrition classes for parents.

I am inspired each and every day by the students. They are always so eager to learn and try new fruits and vegetables. I want them to have the knowledge that will make the difference and allow them to have a long healthy life.

We have been a Green Ribbon School for 3 years in a row. Please check out all of our activities. Go to www.Greenribbonschools.org  and search for Arthur Kramer. We are working hard to have well-rounded healthy stewards of our planet."