Locally grown vegetables will soon be on the menu and the syllabus for students in the Lompoc Unified School District.
"The obesity epidemic is really striking in our country," said Clara Finneran, Lompoc Unified School District Superintendent. "We're attempting to not only teach our science standards but also to teach those healthy habits so that we have healthy children who can learn and grow.”
A $200,000 state grant will help the Lompoc Unified School District promote farm-to-school values and build a stronger community.
“Ultimately, we would love to continue to go from those gardens directly to our kids," Finneran said.
The plan is to have students at all nine of the district’s elementary schools learn in school gardens, guided by Explore Ecology educators and Lompoc Unified teachers.
Local farm Tutti Frutti will provide organic produce for salad bars and monthly tastings.
“I see it as a break into the school systems locally here," said Clara Cadwell, Tutti Frutti Farms.
The grant also opens doors to internships with Explore Ecology, giving Maple High School students exposure to agricultural careers and leadership.
“[In] Lompoc, you're surrounded by agriculture and there's so many jobs," Cadwell said. "You don't have to be the tractor driver or the irrigation guy. There's office work. If you're bilingual, you're already getting a higher pay rate. There's so much opportunity.”
Lompoc, along with 198 other districts, received part of a $52.8 million grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
