N.Y. Sen. Patty Ritchie declared that 12 schools in Jefferson, Oswego and St. Lawrence Counties will receive $100,000 to either create or add to existing efforts towards school gardens. The program, Seeds of Success, is designed to help students apply lessons from their curriculum to gain a better understanding of management and economics of agricultural businesses.

“I started Seeds of Success to help students enjoy learning, apply hands-on experience to real-life problems and become better prepared for the opportunities and challenges they may face after high school,” said Sen. Ritchie. As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Ritchie strongly believes in enriching students’ learning experiences through active participation.

“School garden programs not only help students learn how to grow their own food, they help grow young minds too,” stated Ritchie. The current plans for the ‘Seeds of Success’ program are still in their early stages, but Ritchie intends to solidify future steps as she continues to meet with the participating school boards.

Schools selected for the program either have pre-existing school garden programs and will expand them, or are planning to start new programs using the funding. Students taking agricultural courses will plant crops, design composters, maintain a farm fish tank and create grow racks and garden beds.

Fulton City School District Superintendent Brian Pulvino agrees that the implementation of this program will serve to benefit the district’s youth. “In order for our communities as a whole to be successful, we have to continue to promote agriculture.  By not only teaching our students about farming, but giving them first-hand experience through Senator Ritchie’s ‘Seeds of Success,’ they are getting a lesson that will last a lifetime, whether they are a farm-fresh customer, or decide to take up a career in agriculture,” added Pulvino.

Through Seeds of Success, schools will have the opportunity not only to plant and harvest fresh foods, but also to contribute to school lunches, as well as local farmers markets.

“We are thankful towards the county legislature for thinking of our district and region in terms of unique funding opportunities when it comes to teaching,” said Hannibal Superintendent Christopher Staats. Staats, who already maintains a community garden intended for middle school consumer science classes, added that the funding will greatly assist in the expansion of their current agriculture projects.

One draw to the programs is after doing the hard work of growing produce, students might decide to buy local when making purchases or become more interested in agriculture. Gene Perry, an administrator for the Fulton School District office, mentioned that she and her colleagues are “happy for the grant so that students can plant gardens and then participate in farmers markets and other community agricultural events.”