Dole Packaged Foods joins Harps and Captain Planet Foundation to celebrate Project Learning Garden at King Elementary School

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 11:06 pm
Dole Packaged Foods joins Harps and Captain Planet Foundation to celebrate Project Learning Garden at King Elementary School

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On April 12, Van Buren Mayor Bob Freeman and Superintendent Dr. Harold Jeffcoat joined executives from Harps, Dole Packaged Foods, and Captain Planet Foundation to inaugurate a special Learning Garden for King Elementary School. Together, these three organizations joined forces to offer students the opportunity to interact with the environment through a learning garden, while expanding their palates and learning about food origins.

King Elementary School won the Learning Garden by applying to the “Learning Garden Grant” contest conducted at Harps in the fall of 2016. The contest offered elementary schools in the Harps service area the chance to win a Learning Garden installation for their school.

“Here at Dole, we understand the importance of teaching children the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet, whether they are enjoying fresh produce from their learning garden, or a healthy Dole snack,” said Larry White, Vice President - Sales, Dole Packaged Foods. “By partnering with Captain Planet Foundation and Harps, we are helping more students learn about and develop healthy habits.”

“Anything can be taught in the context of the garden, and hands-on learning supports student understanding of natural systems, food origins, and healthy eating,” explained Kyla Van Deussen, Learning Garden Director of Captain Planet Foundation. “Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, and ensuring they are armed with an understanding of the natural world in which they live. We are thrilled to be working with Harps and Dole to provide King Elementary with a CPF Learning Garden!”

"We are excited to bring this Learning Garden to King Elementary School”, said Mike Roberts, Produce Merchandiser at Harps, “We strive to give back to the communities that we are so lucky to be part of and we are grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to improving the quality of the life for children through education around nutrition and healthy living."

“King Elementary is honored to receive the “Learning Garden Grant” from Captain Planet,” stated Principal Renee Risley, “Without grants like this we would not be able to provide extended learning opportunities that engage students beyond the classroom walls and expose them to a healthier life style.”

Learn more about the Project Learning Garden in the Press-Argus Courier