LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation chose a Henderson elementary school for a learning garden.
The new or refreshed garden is part of the "24 Gardens in 24 Hours in 24 Communities" contest. Officials said it launched in April to celebrate Earth Month. The garden giveaway winners receive a $500,000 investment across 24 schools, ongoing professional development, one-on-one support to sustain the garden and additional money to provide further lessons in the garden.
Edna Hinman Elementary School was chosen for the West side of the country alongside five other schools.
"From a pool of over 3,000 nominations by Sprouts customers, a three-month process involving interviews and thorough vetting generated in the selection of the final 24 schools," a media release said.
Officials said 500 Sprouts team members will install the learning spaces, building 24 school gardens in 24 hours.
“Sprouts is committed to providing children with hands-on educational experiences that shape how they think about food. We believe that our Foundation’s efforts to make these connections will play a pivotal role for children to develop an understanding of the importance of healthy eating,” said Nick Konat, president and chief operating officer of Sprouts. “We are also very excited for our team members to give back to their local communities on September 23 as we build these learning gardens in 24 hours.”
Officials said the foundation's donation will also support training for educators to incorporate the garden into teaching practices.
“This program is exciting because we are able to invite our customers to help us connect with new schools through the nomination process,” said Lyndsey Waugh, executive director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. “These schools represent 24 incredible communities, comprised of teachers and students, that will now have access to an outdoor garden, where classroom lessons can be brought to life through hands-on learning, and where students can experience the magic of watching seeds sprout, and fresh fruits and vegetables grow. We are glad we can play a role in making this possible.”
More information can be found here.
