Community Corner

BCBSTX Volunteers Help Build a Learning Garden

In February, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) employees and other local volunteers worked with REAL School Gardens to build a learning garden at Maple Lawn Elementary School in Dallas.

A learning garden is an outdoor classroom designed to help students become more engaged in learning. REAL School Gardens helps schools in low-income areas design and build the gardens. The organization also trains teachers at the schools to integrate using the gardens into their lesson plans and curriculum.

In addition to being beautiful additions to any school, learning gardens are effective outdoor educational tools used to help teach life and earth sciences, measurement, writing, environmental stewardship, and leadership skills. They also help children get more active and healthy.

BCBSTX employees and other local volunteers joined teachers, parents and students at Maple Lawn for the Big Dig, the day the learning garden is built. Everyone pitched in to plant trees, prepare vegetable beds, install walkways and build compost stations.

The learning garden was built on Feb. 22. The event featured an opening ceremony and ended with a ribbon-cutting to celebrate finishing the garden.

This partnership is part of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Families initiative. Healthy Kids, Healthy Families funds programs that help improve the health of children and their communities across Texas. Thanks to all who volunteered!

Visit realschoolgardens.org for more information about learning gardens.