Upland students are making their school gardens grow

Upland students are growing fond of the garden.

That’s because one has sprouted at all 14 Upland Unified School District campuses.

A district initiative has planted gardens across the school system, where they serve as outdoor classrooms to encourage healthy eating and learning that goes beyond books.

For example, Upland Elementary School kindergartners on Wednesday, Sept. 3, donned tiny gloves to plant carrot seeds and do other tasks in their garden.

Upland students, student interns and volunteers handle garden upkeep, a district news release states.

“We’re not just feeding students, we’re empowering them with hands-on learning, better nutrition and a stronger connection to the food they eat,” Nutrition Services Director Cassidy Boardman said in the release.

In summer, Upland school