Since 2002, ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School program has provided support for hands-on local food experiences for thousands of children at hundreds of schools in the Appalachian Grown region. In 2015 we launched our new Growing Minds School certification program to honor the fantastic work being done throughout the region.
We are excited to announce the first round of Growing Minds Schools! These preschools and schools incorporate farm to school activities into the curriculum and culture of their school. They grow edible gardens, connect with local farmers through farm field trips and farmer visits to the classroom, host local food cooking classes, and serve local food in the cafeteria or lunch room. Growing Minds Schools also make a commitment to continuing and strengthening their farm to school efforts in future years. We will all reap the rewards of this work – connecting children to their source of their food will improve attitudes and behaviors toward healthy food!
Here’s the first round of awards:
- Cherokee Central Schools (Qualla Boundary / Swain County)
- Cullowhee Valley School (Jackson County)
- Emma Elementary (Buncombe County)
- Estes Elementary (Buncombe County)
- Evergreen Community Charter School (Buncombe County)
- Fairview Elementary (Buncombe County)
- Furman University Child Development Center (Greenville County)
- Glenn C. Marlow Elementary (Henderson County)
- Isaac Dickson Elementary (Asheville City)
- Kneedler Child Development Center (Jackson County)
- North Buncombe Elementary (Buncombe County)
- St. James School for Little Folks (Henderson County)
- Summit Charter School (Jackson County)
At this time, we are no longer accepting applications for the Growing Minds School program.