Creating Sustainable Spaces: A School Garden Case Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify elements of school gardens that promote well-being in students. Many schools are starting school garden programs around the country, and while it is common knowledge that gardens can promote well-being, the causal relationships are not well understood. To better understand what makes school gardens good for students, I spent 4 months working as a garden intern at Manzo Elementary where I observed students and interviewed teachers and other garden interns. This paper also contains a thorough review of available literature that connects human well-being and green spaces. This research found that students appear to be feel a strong connection to their school garden and a sense of ownership of it, and that kids are more excited to use these spaces than other spaces in their schools. These factors appear to promote well-being in Manzo Elementary students by increasing students’ enthusiasm for learning and teaching responsibility.