It has been said countless times, but gardening is a great activity in which youth can learn and participate. Not only does gardening engage all senses, it also encourages healthy eating and has been linked to the improvement of life development skills. The Show Low Garden Club introduced a program that exposed children to the world of STEM through botany, biology, and chemistry while teaching responsibility and environmental stewardship.

How and Impact?

In order to help encourage all of these habits and skill development, the Show Low School District created the STEM Garden Club. This club allows children ages 9-13 to participate in gardening throughout the year. So far 85 students have been impacted by the formation of this club. 

While studying the process of seed growth and development, youth are asked to form a hypothesis on the outcome and begin to monitor daily progress. Children also learn about the impact of sunlight, water, and water usage along with discovering the impact humans have on the environment and how to better protect it. Gardening has also been proven to help with focus and memory, especially with children that have symptoms of ADHD. 

RAIN was able to help fund this club through grants. The club continues to grow and educate young people on the importance of gardening, eating healthy, and environmental stewardship!

The Arizona Rural Activation and Innovation Network (RAIN) is funded by the National Science Foundation to oversee grant funding for informal STEM education projects in four rural Arizona communities: Cochise County, Graham and Greenlee County, the Verde Valley, and the Navapache/White Mountains region. RAIN acts as a resource for best practices in informal STEM program development and works to highlight effective STEM programs, employers  and organizations across the state of Arizona. Interested in applying for a grant? Visit our website today and learn more about the opportunities in your community.