VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Fueling the roughly 1.3 million kids in Virginia's public school system with healthy food is a challenge for parents and school districts alike.
Some folks have faced the issue by turning to nature.
Glenwood Elementary School in Virginia Beach was one of the first to turn an unused lot into a garden nearly three years ago.
The staff says the addition of the garden has had a "major impact" on students.
"I love lettuce so much!" a third-grader said as he tasted fresh lettuce from the garden.
It might be uncommon to hear those words from an elementary schooler but they're common here. Staff said it's all because kids are getting their hands dirty.
"They can see, and feel, and touch, and observe, and write about all those things they discuss in the classroom. We wanted to make that real for them," said Glenwood Elementary School Principal David French.
It's certainly real to Glenwood Elementary students as they've been learning about sustainability.
"We use fresh rainwater using rain barrels so the plants can grow," said Bryce Guanlao, another third grader.
The noise they hear in the garden is a lesson, too. This year 60,000 additional pollinators help young gardeners find balance in the ecosystem.
"This has a major impact on the students. Knowing where their food comes from, knowing that those little honeybees that we have help those plants grow," said French.
"If we didn't have trees or plants, we would never have any bees and if we never had any trees and plants, we wouldn't be able to breathe," said third-grader Jocelyn Ripa.
The kids know even more.
"I learned that plants are biotic, which means alive," said Cole Rongey, another third-grader.
"And kids who struggle in the classroom with certain things, when they come out here, they become different learners," said French.
They've certainly tasted the fruits of their labor. The freshly harvested lettuce, and the other fruit and vegetables, are carted through the halls and to the cafeteria.
"All my friends say it tastes better than plants we buy and tastes more fresh," said Rongey.
"I am just very lucky to be at this school with this beautiful garden," added Ripa.
The food collected in the summer doesn't go to waste either. It's stored for the fall.
Principal French says the school plans to continue and expand the garden in the years to come.
Virginia Farm to School which is part of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, aims to add more school gardens by 2025.
