MISSISSIPPI’S FIRST TEACHING GARDEN SPRINGS UP AT A LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Davis Magnet Elementary school will reap fresh veggies and fruits this Spring

 

JACKSON, MS  – On September 20, the American Heart Association unveiled Mississippi’s first Teaching Garden with the support of the Jackson Heart Foundation.  The first school to receive the garden is Davis Magnet Elementary in the capital city, which is locally sponsored by the Jackson Heart Foundation.

The American Heart Association Teaching Gardens is an innovative national, school-based program to re-establish what it means to be healthy.  Aimed at elementary school students, the Teaching Garden program provides hands-on learning experiences rooted in offering nutritional choices.

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson and school Superintendent Dr. Cedric Gray spoke at the event.

“We are thrilled to have been selected to receive an American Heart Association Teaching Garden,” said Jane Everly, Principal of Davis Magnet Elementary.  “This opportunity gives our children hands-on experience and an interactive nutrition curriculum that can help produce life-long, heart-healthy habits.”

The Teaching Garden is a real-life laboratory where students learn how to plant seeds, nurture the growing plants, harvest the food and ultimately understand the value of good eating habits and the importance of physical activity. “Heart disease affects millions of people. And now our youngest generation is at risk because of childhood obesity. If we can teach them the importance of making healthy decisions regarding nutrition and exercise, then we will help make a difference in the health of our future generations,” said Dr. Clay Hays of Jackson Heart Foundation.

The American heart Association has a 30 year history working with children and schools.  Currently, the association has an active relationship with nearly one-third of the country’s schools. The Teaching Gardens program is part of a larger American Heart Association, My Heart. My Life. healthy living initiative, designed to help Americans understand what it means to be healthy, and to take action. For more information about the Teaching Gardens program and how you can participate, visit www.heart.org/teachinggardens.

 About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.

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