LITTLE ROCK, AR — As Arkansas Farm to School Month comes to a close, we are proud to announce that Maumelle High won Best Harvest Partnership School Garden at this year’s Arkansas Grown School Garden of the Year Contest! This program is sponsored by the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas and promotes the importance of involving young people in the process of fresh food production and cultivation. The award ceremony was held at Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School on October 24, 2024.
School gardens are integral to farm to school efforts, providing hands-on learning opportunities focused on agriculture and nutrition. There are currently 354 school gardens across the state. This contest was initiated by the Department and Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas in 2014 to reward existing efforts and incentivize the implementation of school gardens across the state. The Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas generously provide the funding for the contest.
Here's the 2024 winners:
Champion of School Garden Sustainability: Sheridan Intermediate School (Sheridan), $1,000 award
Best Overall School Garden: Conway High School (Conway), $1,000 award
Best Start-Up School Garden Proposal: Homestead Academy (Royal), $500 award Camden Fairview High School (Camden), $500 award
Best Education-Based School Garden: Shirley Elementary School (Shirley), $500 award Ellen Smith Elementary School (Conway), $500 award
Best Harvest Partnership School Garden: Maumelle High School (Maumelle), $500 award Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School (Jacksonville), $500 award
Best Community Collaboration School Garden: Ward Central Elementary School (Ward), $500 award Batesville Preschool (Batesville), $500 award
The contest was ope
n to public and private K-12 schools, early childhood education facilities, and alternative learning environments. Applicants must have a school garden or plans to start one in the following school year to be considered for the contest. Applications are judged based on the presence of clear goals, effective integration of school gardens into the classroom curriculum, active community involvement, plans for utilizing harvested produce, and long-term maintenance strategies for the gardens.
