Students expand a school garden network across California

Students in several California districts are turning unused campus space into productive gardens.

The gardens are improving school meals, giving teachers new classroom tools, and drawing in volunteers from the surrounding community. After two years of growth the network now includes over 120 schools and has supplied more than 40,000 pounds of fresh produce to cafeterias across the state.

Program leaders say the initiative also lowers behavioral incidents and increases attendance on garden-activity days.