Joint Community-School Gardens:
How do the Motivations Behind the Gardens Effect the Outcomes?
A research proposal submitted to the Urban Studies and Planning Program
University of California at San Diego
Elizabeth Dallman
USP 186 Section A02
edallman@ucsd.edu
October 18, 2011
Abstract
This paper will investigate how the motivations behind creating joint-community gardens impact
its outcomes. I plan to examine this question by analyzing the motivations behind the creation of
a school-community joint garden at Montgomery Middle School in Linda Vista, San Diego.
Participants and community members will be interviewed regarding their expectations,
motivations, and thoughts on the expected outcomes regarding the joint community-school
garden. This study will contribute to the literature on community-school gardens, education
reform, and sustainability. It will present the positive and negative aspects of bringing the
community and the school together to collaborate in the garden at Montgomery.
Key Terms: community garden, school garden, school reform, health, community empowerment
Introduction
While neither community nor school gardens are new ideas, they have both had a huge
comeback during the past ten years. Gardening in schools began in the early 1900s in the United
States and were used to supply good during the war. Today, emphasis has been placed on the
power of gardens as an integrated learning tool that contributes to the environmental movement
against global warming, and to the fight against obesity and other leading causes of death
(Hazzard et al. 2011). Research has shown that garden based learning has the ability to improve
the health and well being of the individuals who participate while also strengthening the
students’ bond to their school, and the community’s ability to come together. Within the United
State, gardening has become increasingly popular for many health, environmental, and social
reasons. With increasing issues caused by global warming, it is important that students and the
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community learn about where their food comes from, and the benefits of growing their own
locally in order to help slow down this process.
This research project will examine the motivations behind the creation of the joint
community-school garden at the Montgomery Middle School in Linda Vista, examining how
they impact the outcomes of the garden through interviews and surveys of participants and Linda
Vista community members. This topic is important because according to past and current
research, community gardens, school gardens, and joint community school gardens have the
potential to fight against epidemics, reduce inequalities, and empower the individuals and the
community as a whole that is involved. This project will bring together the community of Linda
Vista and the students and teachers at Montgomery Middle School and illustrate the benefits and
difficulties in creating a joint gardening space.
Literature Review
While a handful of authors have written about joint community-school gardens, many
authors will either focus solely on community gardens or school gardens. I will discuss literature
written on both community gardens and school gardens, and show how they relate and build off
of each other to create something larger than either one by itself. Previous and ongoing research
underlines three main motivations behind creating community-school gardens: the possibility of
health benefits, the potential for reform within the school system, and the opportunity for
community building and empowerment. I will examine these three categories emphasized by
other authors and discuss how they apply to my research project.
Health outcome
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One of the main motivations behind creating a community-school garden relates to the
affect it has on the health of the participants. With limited availability of fruits and vegetables,
and the high price associated with eating healthy as well as the increase of childhood obesity,
hypertension, and other diseases, community-school gardening serves as a potential solution that
will slow and possibly reverse these processes (Alaimo et al. 2008). Using a local garden to
educate young students and community members about how their food is produced, distributed
and consumed serves as a way to combat against the inherent inequalities that exist within our
food system (Okvat et al. 2011). Community gardens are viewed as a nutritional intervention in
that they address the barrier of access and cost that exists between many individuals and a
healthy diet that includes fruit and vegetables. Various studies have illustrated how individuals
who are aware of barriers that kept them from including fruits and vegetables in their diet are
well aware of the various health benefits associated with a diet that includes fruits and
vegetables. Community gardens have the ability to reduce costs of maintaing a diet high in fruits
and vegetables as well as the need for transportation to and from grocery stores in urban
environments (Alaimo et al. 2008). Thus, by creating community-school gardens, it is possible to
reduce the cost of a healthy diet while also teaching children the importance and value of
consuming fruits and vegetables (Langhout et al. 2002).
Various studies have shown a correlation between garden-based nutritional education and
the consumption of fruit and vegetables. In one study, researchers hypothesized that nutritional
lessons in combination with hands on activity in gardens would have a greater effect on
children’s vegetable preferences than the in class lessons by itself. By the end of the study, it was
concluded that as a result of the curriculum, students had increased preference for various
vegetables, supporting the inclusion of vegetable gardens within the school setting (Morris et al.
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2002). A case study of a school in Berkeley discusses how students make snacks out of fresh
ingredients from the garden and shows evidence of students eating a healthier diet with more
greens (Freeman, 2009). Another study of 122 sixth graders from three different schools in Idaho
showed that garden-based nutrition education had a significant effect on adolescents’
consumption of fruits and vegetables which in turn decreases adolescent obesity (McAleese et al.
2007). A third study illustrated that a household’s participation in a community garden has the
ability to improve fruit and vegetable intake which has been associated with reducing the risk for
three of the leading causes of death in the United States (Alaimo et al. 2008).
Ultimately, it is evident based on past research that gardens at schools serve as nutritional
education tools that have the potential to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables
among those who participate in garden-based activities. With evidence showing that fruit and
vegetables play a protective role against strokes, hypertension, and other diseases, the
importance of establishing community-school gardens becomes evident. Research has also
shown that activity in the garden helps to prevent unhealthy behaviors such as a sedentary
lifestyle that lead to increasing problem of obesity both in children and adults (Alaimo et al.
2008; McAleese et al. 2007). Further, gardening as well as other less direct contact with nature
such as walking through gardens have been utilized for mental health benefits throughout history
(Okvat et al. 2011).
Reform within the School System
While community-school gardens have the potential to improve the health behavior and
eating habits of individuals, it also has the potential to strengthen the entire school environment
as a whole (Ozer 2007). As one author states, “schools cannot be reformed unless the school
ecosystem is taken into consideration” (Langhout et al. 2002). The school garden can be viewed
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as a way to redefine the school environment, creating another space for students to realize their
potential. At one school, participants described the school garden project as creating a new sense
of school “bonding” as Ozer referred to it, where student who once did not feel part of the school
felt a stronger connection as a result of the school garden project. By promoting hands on
inquiry, many students who do not do as well inside the classroom are provided with a new
environment where they can learn concepts that align with the learning objectives mandated by
the state (2007).
Dewey’s model of school-community collaboration emphasizes a learning style that
allows students to link life and real-world problems with learning. Community collaboration
helps to create a bridge to the real world, bringing education to life, giving it meaning and
vitality. Classrooms that are more culturally relevant helps to teach students to be lifelong
learners. The use of knowledge from children’s homes in the classroom works to breakdown
misconceptions and stereotypes about different cultures and families (Langhout et al. 2002).
Further, parental involvement in their children’s schooling has been linked to their overall
academic achievement (Ozer 2007). It becomes evident that with the presence of family
members who are also part of the community, we see a rise in academic achievement, which
emphasizes the importance behind emphasizing the community part in the joint communityschool relationship in the garden.
Community Building and Empowerment
According to Okyat et al., community gardening serves as method of “furthering
wellbeing and resilience on multiple levels; individual, social group, and natural environment”
(2011). It is evident that while the community-school garden has benefits for each individual, it
also works to strengthen the social networks by building on strengths of community members
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involved (Langhout et al. 2002). By sharing tools, ideas, culture, produce, and knowledge, the
community decreases isolation and becomes a denser network. By taking participatory approach
to community development through the implementation of community-school gardens, the
community has a sense of empowerment since they have more control over food, land and tools
(Okvat et al. 2011). Fortifying this sense of community, place, trust and reciprocity are key
elements of social capital that empowers individuals (Kingsley et al. 2006). Many times the
garden will bring together people and students who may not otherwise interact with that person if
it were not for the space created by the garden (Okvat et al. 2011) By utilizing this garden space
for communication, information sharing, and co-learning helps to not only decrease the demand
for less sustainable food but also allows the community to become more self sufficient (King
2008).
Community-school gardening requires a collaborative effort in order to maintain it year
round. While students and the school plays a large role during the school year, during the
summer it becomes the responsibility of area residents to actively participate in order to maintain
the garden year round. With the collaboration of the grade school, community, as well as
university students, a win win relationship can be created with all groups benefiting (Langhout et
al. 2002). Involving the community in the garden with the students also emphasizes the
effectiveness of culturally relevant schooling through classroom community collaboration
(Langhout et al. 2002).
Research Design
A majority of the valuable community building, learning, and behavior change that
occurs within a community-school garden is hard to measure with numbers, especially when
only looking at one garden project as a case study. For this reason I plan to use this paper to
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show the Montgomery community-school garden as an example that illustrates and explains the
motivations behind the community-school garden, and the outcomes that result from the creation
of this project. Data will be gathered in the form of interviews and questionnaires of individuals
associated with the community-school garden, either by proximity of residence or through
participation. This group includes but is not limited to Montgomery students, family members or
friends of Montgomery students, Montgomery teachers, Bayside Community Center
collaborators, UCSD students, USD students, individuals who reside close to Montgomery
Middle School, and any individuals that are involved in the creation and/or implementation of
the community-school garden.
The interviews and questionnaires will contain questions that focus on opinions and ideas
regarding how the community-school project will affect the students, the school, and the greater
community. I will ask about individuals expectations and motivations related to the project, and
if they plan to be involved, in what way they will support the garden project. If they do not plan
to be involved, I will ask why and what their motivations are for not participating in the garden
project. I will ask individuals about their interests or concerns in bringing the community and the
school together in the school space. It is important that the questions are worded in a manner that
does not already create a bias, forcing the individual to believe the joint project will be a good
thing or a bad thing, which I foresee as being one of the more difficult issues in collecting data.
Anonymous interviews may also be a good way to collect non bias information since the
individual will not feel pressured to provide an answer that the interviewer wants to hear,
although I also must be sensitive to the fact that some individuals may not be able to read or
write, in which case spoken interviews will be the best option. For those community members
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who do not speak English and only Speak Spanish, I will also be able to conduct interviews in
Spanish.
Some downsides to this research method is that I am only looking at and gathering data
from one example of a joint community-school garden. The positive aspect of this is that I will
be able to come out with in depth detailed research regarding the motivations and their effects on
the outcomes of the Montgomery community-school garden project that will provide information
for other joint garden creators to read and learn from before embarking on the creation of their
own. I plan to do carryout interviews all throughout my time as an intern at Montgomery Middle
School, gathering any and all opinions throughout the process of all participants and community
members, perhaps going door to door asking about their interest and ability to support or not
support the joint garden project.
Conclusion
My research project will provide a case study that illustrates the explanation behind the
motivations and expected outcomes that result as progress is made with the community-school
garden project, as well as the progress that is made within the garden during the six month period
of my internship. Information from leaders, community members, and students will be used as
data to illustrate the motivations and outcomes of the community-garden project.Bibliography
Alaimo, Katherine, Elizabeth Packnett, Richard A Miles, and Daniel J Kruger. "Fruit and Vegetable
Intake among Urban Community Gardeners." Journal of nutrition education and behavior 40.2
(2008): 94. Print.
Freeman, Nancy G. "Berkeley Schools Go Green." Planning 75.8 (2009): 23. Print.
GLOVER, Troy. "Social Capital in the Lived Experiences of Community Gardeners." Leisure sciences
26.2 (2004): 143. Print.
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Hazzard, Eric L, Elizabeth Moreno, Dborah L Beall, and Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr. "An Evaluation of the
California Instructional School Garden Program." Public health nutrition 1.1 (2011): 1. Print.
King, Christine A. "Community Resilience and Contemporary Agri-Ecological Systems: Reconnecting
People and Food, and People with People " Wiley InterScience (2008): October 16, 2008.
www.interscience.wiley.com). Web.
Kingsley, Jonathan and Mardie Townsend. "'Dig in'to Social Capital: Community Gardens as
Mechanisms for Growing Urban Social Connectedness." Urban policy and research 24.4 (2011):
525. Print.
Langhout, Regina Day, Julian Rappaport, and Doretha Simmons. "Integrating Community into the
Classroom: Community Gardening, Community Involvement, and Project-Based Learning." Urban
education 37.3 (2002): 323. Print.
McAleese, JD and Rankin LL . "Garden-Based Nutrition Education Affects Fruit and Vegetable
Consumption in Sixth-Grade Adolescents." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 107.4
(2007): 662. Print.
Morgan, PJ, JM Warren, DR Lubans, KL Saunders, GI Quick, and CE Collins. "The Impact of Nutrition
Education with and without a School Garden on Knowledge, Vegetable Intake and Preferences
and Quality of School Life among Primary-School Students." Public health nutrition 13.11 (2010):
1931. Print.
MORRIS, JL and S Zdenberg-Cherr. "Garden-Enhanced Nutrition Curriculum Improves Fourth-Grade
School Children's Knowledge of Nutrition and Preferences for some Vegetables." Journal of the
American Dietetic Association 102.1 (2002): 91. Print.
Okvat, HA and AJ Zautra. "Community Gardening: A Parsimonious Path to Individual, Community, and
Environmental Resilience." American Journal of Community Psychology 47.3-4 (2011): 374. Print.
ENVIRONMENTAL benefits
- possibility of community gardens serving as a way to ease the global climate change crisis
(Okvat et al. 2011)
- address climate change (Okvat et al. 2011) community garden mitigates global climate change
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- teach concepts and values related to promoting the sustainability of the natural environment and
the conservation of natural resources. This curricular approach reflects an integration of science
learning about biological ecosys- tems with values related to land stewardship (Project Food,
Land, & People, 2000; see The Edible Schoolyard online at
www.edibleschoolyard.org/classroom.html). (Ozer 2007)
Negatives
- challenges (Okvat et al. 2011)
- leadership, funding, participants--- but it is difficult to sustain garden
- instead of being inclusionary, community garden can lead to conflict or exclusionary
behavior; must respect group and individuals
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