•  JMG
    With the support of the Hennepin County Master Gardeners, our fourth and fifth graders get the opportunity to learn and work side by side some amazing talent.  At the end of fifth grade, with some work on their own, the students can be certified junior master gardeners.

    Through this program, not only do our students learn about planting and gardening, but they also learn about leadership and stewardship through activities that reach out to others in our community like CEAP and local retirement centers.
     

    Relationships -     Studies have shown that fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students developed better interpersonal relationship skills after participating in a school or community garden program.
     
    Self Esteem - Youth Gardening Projects have been shown to help increase children’s self-esteem while helping them develop a sense of ownership and responsibility.
     
    Diet & Attitude - Third and fifth graders showed a more positive attitude toward fruit and vegetable snacks after completing horticulture activities from a nutrition gardening curriculum.
     
     Growing good kids by igniting a passion for learning, success, and service through a unique gardening education.

    The Junior Master Gardener program is an international youth gardening program of the university cooperative Extension network. JMG engages children in novel, “hands-on” group and individual learning experiences that provide a love of gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind. JMG also inspires youths to be of service to others through service learning and leadership development projects, and rewards them with certification and recognition.
    Children can get involved in exploring their world through meaningful activities that encourage leadership development, personal pride and responsibility, and community involvement.Youth involved in the program develop critical thinking skills, and the ability to identify community concerns and take action to address them through individual group projects.