Rosser Early Learning Center installs school garden through partnership with GHMBC
Wednesday, March 1, at 12:30 pm, Rosser Early Learning Center welcomed families to a planting party. Preschool and kindergarten children grew seeds in their classrooms for two and a half weeks with anticipation of this day!
The school garden was built in February by volunteers with Growing Healthy Minds, Bodies and Communities (GHMBC), a non-profit organization housed in the University of Mississippi School of Education. In early February, GHMBC program managers Avé Mayeux and Amber Sims visited all of the classrooms at Rosser and planted seeds with the children. The radish, tomato, sweet pea, and spinach seedlings grew in the classrooms under grow lights with the care of the classroom teachers, assistants, and children.
This past Wednesday, Rosser welcomed families for the opportunity to garden with their children. Each classroom chose their best plants from their seedlings tray to plant. The children also created a class stone. These paving stones were painted by the children and will represent each class that planted the very first rotation of vegetables and flowers. This was a great day for families, school officials, volunteers, and community members to come together and get their hands a little dirty!
About GHMBC
Growing Healthy Minds, Bodies and Communities (GHMBC) was founded in 2018 by School of Education faculty members Dr. Alicia Stapp and Dr. Kenya Wolff to promote the development of children’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual well-being.
GHMBC provides curriculum, tools, resources and training for educators to teach integrated lessons including yoga and mindfulness, gardening and nutrition, conflict management, diversity and inclusion, and physical activities that support the well-being of all children. Additionally, GHMBC encourages families and communities to continue learning outside the classroom with lending library books that match what children learn throughout the year. The program has also partnered with local grocers and chefs to provide take-home meal kits for families to prepare and share together.
Since its establishment, GHMBC has reached more than 700 preschool children and their families in north Mississippi through their partnerships with Sunflower County, Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District, Delta Health Alliance, and Lafayette County.
