By: Susana Peñaranda and Yaredly Hernández Robles, Master Gardener Volunteers, Class of ’22

Part 2: The Present—Implementing Change

Introduction to Ready, Set, Grow!

Recognizing the critical role of Social Determinants of Health—such as access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity—we embarked on a mission to improve community health outcomes through school gardens. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Social Determinants of Health are conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality of life outcomes and risks” (https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health). 

The Ready, Set, Grow! initiative provides an enriching curriculum that integrates essential nutrition education with hands-on gardening experience. As the initiative evolved, our focus expanded to include eco-conscious practices like composting, seed harvesting, and native plantings. We also developed detailed garden site plans and revitalized existing garden spaces, ensuring sustainability and educational value. Through these efforts, Ready, Set, Grow! has become a multifaceted program promoting healthier lifestyles and fostering a deeper connection to nature for our community.

                                                                    Photo: Students at Eaton Park engaged in gardening activity. 

Core Pillars of Ready, Set, Grow!

Ready, Set, Grow! is built on several key pillars: scientific inquiry, art and creativity, planting adventures, community engagement, eco-conscious practices, and nutrition education. Our backgrounds in public administration, combined with our passions for sustainability and education, have enabled us to develop each of these pillars effectively, creating a holistic and impactful program.

Personal Journeys

Susana: Catalyzing Community Health and Education

As a Project Manager, I have been fortunate to gain experience in establishing community-based partnerships. In 2016, I initiated the City’s first Health Initiative, working closely with local, county, and state agencies to provide free health screenings, education, and workforce support. Additionally, I partnered with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to launch the City’s inaugural Annual Pediatric EKG Initiative, aimed at identifying and addressing heart abnormalities to prevent incidents during physical activities.

Upon the reopening of the Child Learning Centers due to COVID, I recognized the need to expand and enhance support services. Securing funding from the American Rescue Plan, the Department of Human Services implemented a tuition-free program benefiting all enrolled families facing financial strain due to the pandemic. Moreover, I knew that it would be crucial to partner with UF/IFAS Extension to help implement Ready, Set, Grow! and to educate children about the nutritional value of their produce and promote healthy eating habits among parents. Recognizing the value of intergenerational learning, I wanted to engage parents actively in these healthy (and happy!) initiatives.

Yaredly: Art, Creativity & Eco-Conscious Practices

Yaredly: Although my job as a Budget and Financial Advisor and Agreement’s manager can be very technical and administrative, coming from a family of creatives has instilled in me a love for art and innovation. I believe in learning through play and using creativity to foster environmental education. As an art enthusiast, I strive to incorporate art into every aspect of my work. With Ready, Set, Grow!, I’ve found various ways to engage children in the garden and fostering environmental stewardship.

Photo: Yaredly adds vibrant details to a newly built vegetable bed at Lemon City Child Learning Center.

Our first art activity took place while we were building the garden beds. Despite their young ages of five and under, one cannot underestimate their ability to enjoy art and learn new things. We invited them to the playground and asked them to choose a color to leave their handprints on the wooden garden beds. This immersive experience allowed them to touch the paint and see their handprints on the garden beds, reminding them that this garden is theirs as well. I hope this sense of ownership will inspire them to care for the plants. We have also integrated eco-conscious practices into our activities, such as upcycling discarded materials found in the trash to use in the garden. For instance, we rescued a small old cabinet from the trash and transformed it into an art piece that now serves as storage for our gardening kits. Additionally, we continue to engage children in crafts that teach them how to upcycle objects and create art using nature. During Earth Day 2024, one of our activities involved making leaf impressions using air clay to create eco-friendly ornaments. Children selected their favorite leaves, pressed them into the clay, and crafted beautiful ornaments.

Art and creativity are fundamental to our program, encouraging children to paint, craft, and create using natural materials. These activities not only foster their artistic expression but also deepen their connection to nature while promoting sustainable practices.

Photo: Children craft eco-friendly ornaments using plant cuttings and air clay, blending creativity with sustainability.

Getting Started

We embarked on the Ready, Set, Grow! initiative with a grand vision but faced the challenge of a limited budget. Introducing gardening into a school setting for the first time would be a monumental step. Seeking guidance, we turned to UF/IFAS Extension’s Family Nutrition Program (FNP), which supports schools with garden programming by equipping them with materials, knowledge, and skills to autonomously manage their gardens. Their mission focuses on actively engaging students in cultivating produce, fostering a love for and appreciation of fruits, vegetables, and herbs as part of a healthy diet. With the support of UF/IFAS, a local Park Contribution of $5,000 from the city, and some budget savings that we were able to identify at the end of fiscal year 2022-2023, we were able to get the garden started with a heart full of hope and determination to put in the work to realize this dream.

Photo: Student smells a sweet basil plant in the garden.

Educational Activities and Curriculum

Our initiative is dedicated to cultivating curiosity and a passion for learning among children through a variety of engaging activities. Scientific inquiry forms a core part of our curriculum, where children explore concepts like photosynthesis and the water cycle through hands-on experiments, fostering critical thinking skills. Planting adventures transform children into budding botanists, allowing them to nurture fruits, vegetables, and herbs while learning about plant life cycles firsthand. Wildlife exploration introduces them to local fauna, fostering an appreciation for biodiversity within garden habitats.

Our approach integrates stimulating environments and real-world objects to support active, hands-on learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Family and community engagement are also central, promoting teamwork and community involvement in garden-related events, ensuring that learning extends into the broader community fabric.

Photo: The seven curricular activities for Ready, Set, Grow!

Launch and Development

The Ready, Set, Grow! initiative officially debuted on Earth Day in April 2023 at three Child Learning Centers within Miami: Allapattah, Little Haiti, and the Upper East Side Corridors. These centers serve a vital role in the community, catering primarily to over 60 children aged five and under. Our focus was to target families from low-income backgrounds, providing equitable access to educational gardening experiences and promoting sustainable living practices that support both physical and environmental health.

                                                  Photo: Solina Rulfs, Food Systems Specialist, UF/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program, introducing students to Cuban Oregano.

Since then, the Family Nutrition Program has played a pivotal role in integrating comprehensive nutrition education into our centers’ curriculum. Utilizing evidence-based approaches, such as the “Grow It, Try It, Like It!” Nutrition Education Kit from the USDA and the “Healthy Habits for Life” curriculum developed by Sesame Street, our students engaged in garden-themed activities that introduce them to a variety of fruits and vegetables. This approach enriches our educational offerings and empowers our students with the knowledge and skills to make informed choices about their nutrition and well-being.

Our commitment to intergenerational education deepened significantly upon discovering UF/IFAS Extension’s Expanded Food & Family Nutrition Program (EFNEP). EFNEP provides essential knowledge and practical guidance to parents on incorporating fresh, healthy foods into their daily meals, emphasizing skills such as effective food budget management, nutritious meal preparation, and overall health enhancement. EFNEP educators, who are integral members of their communities, play a vital role in delivering these impactful lessons. In 2023, EFNEP provided nine lessons on nutrition, food resource management, physical activity, and food safety to four parents and staff. All participants improved their overall nutrition, and 75% saw gains in food resource management, physical activity, and food safety. In 2024, the program’s reach expanded to eight graduates. This year, 100% of participants showed improvement in food resource management, and 88% experienced progress in nutrition, physical activity, and food safety practices

Photo: Children cutting lettuce at Moore Park Child Learning Center.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Impact Reports Harvesting and Community

Impact

After installing the Child Learning Center gardens, we observed children eagerly exploring their roles in garden maintenance during daily recesses. They diligently watered the plants, engaged their senses by smelling and observing their growth progress, and ensured the roots were well-established. Within weeks, we witnessed the plants blooming and an increase of bees pollinating flowers. For many children, this experience was likely their first deep engagement with their ecological environment.

Harvest Bundles at Moore Child Learning Center:https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5HMq6HrkSZ/?igsh=cm53NXBhYmlmdjVz

As the plants in our gardens continued to thrive, we harvested an impressive 10-15 pounds of fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables per center. The harvest bundles were made available for families to take home, enriching their culinary creations and deepening their connections to the origins of the harvest. Feedback was received from parents in the form of photos shared, showcasing recipes created using the garden produce.

Seasonal Garden Reactivation

The vision for our seasonal garden reactivation events was to revitalize our garden spaces while integrating a community engagement component into our initiative. Held bi-annually in (spring and fall), these events invite children and families to join together in breathing new life into the gardens. Activities include cleaning up debris, planting fall herbs, vegetables, and pollinators, pruning plants, adding organic soil amendments, and refreshing topsoil.

Photo:Parents engaged in the garden reactivation at Lemon City Child Learning Center.

Our approach to introducing intergenerational education in gardening aims to foster inclusive and enriching experiences for all community members. We created spaces where children and adults can learn, collaborate, and grow together through hands-on gardening activities. Tailored educational components include biology lessons for children and practical gardening techniques for adults, ensuring everyone gains valuable skills and knowledge.

Photo:The Nymphilm by Sofia Perez, capturing the reactivation of the garden beds at Eaton Park Child Learning Center.

In Spring 2024, the Ready, Set, Grow! initiative introduced a range of new and exciting additions to our garden spaces as part of our seasonal reactivation events. This season marked the first inclusion of peppermint, spearmint, turmeric, ginger, and moringa in our gardens, enriching the variety of herbs and plants we grow. Participants, including children and community members, engaged in hands-on activities such as pruning existing plants, constructing new vegetable beds, and laying down fresh soil.

During these reactivation events, participants learned about the unique characteristics and benefits of the new plants, including their culinary and medicinal uses. Alongside the new additions, we planted a variety of other herbs, pollinators, and vegetable plants, further diversifying our garden offerings. This collaborative effort helped foster a sense of ownership and pride in the gardens while deepening participants’ understanding of sustainable gardening practices.

Fall Activation 2023 short video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzwnJvVOCBh/?igsh=ZnZ4OWg0d2k1NzVq

Earth Day 2024 Garden Activation at Moore: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6Me6pNv6sW/?igsh=YzQ3ZTBvYWV2bXcz

Spring garden Reactivation at Eaton Park 2024https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6EsLzJrROHJIBQlobkpWrJeNntD0I2tC_r4380/?igsh=d2F4YWxhMDJ0cW94

City of Miami Eaton Child Learning Center Garden Activation with Mayor Suarez: https://youtu.be/UJexD2KxFrI?si=LgUVhTUzqf-4s8j7

Photo: Mayor Francis X. Suarez with Master Gardener Volunteers, Susana Peñaranda and Yaredly Hernández Robles, at Eaton Park Child Learning Center, celebrating the impact of the Ready, Set, Grow! Initiative.

Photo: Dad and daughter engaged in the garden reactivation at Lemon City Child Learning Center. 

Integration of Arts and Sustainable Practices

The Ready, Set, Grow! initiative also integrates artistic expression and sustainable practices, providing a holistic approach to education and community engagement. Participants explore their creativity through garden-inspired art projects, such as handprint paintings on garden beds and crafting activities using materials found in the garden. Sustainable practices include using upcycled paper to create seed envelopes, reducing waste, and teaching children the importance of recycling and reusing materials.

Photo: Abandoned garbage can be transformed into a compost bin with paint and decorations at Eaton Park Child Learning Center.

In partnership with the Latin American Art Pavilion and Art Communities in Action Foundation, we introduced an art tutoring program for the students at the Child Learning Centers. This program teaches children about various art techniques while fostering environmental stewardship. Their artwork was showcased during an Earth Day event at Nido Art Space in Midtown, Miami. The event featured a Ready, Set, Grow! Craft Activity Table where children created sustainable ornaments. We also held a seed giveaway through our Happy Seeds Project.

As we expand our commitment to integrating art into the gardens, we commissioned artist Monique Boileau to create an interactive exterior mural at Eaton Park Child Learning Center’s playground. The whimsical nature scene promotes environmental stewardship through playful imagery of local plants, animals, natural climate cycles, and gardening tools. The mural includes an interactive element with brown chalkboard paint as the “soil” where children can draw and write, making it an evolving and educational part of their learning environment.

Photo: Muralist Monique Boileau creates an interactive exterior mural at Eaton Park Child Learning Center’s playground.

Future Plans and Expansion

As we celebrate the success and growth of the Ready, Set, Grow! Initiative, it is clear that our efforts have not only transformed individual garden spaces but have also sparked broader community engagement and enthusiasm. The program’s impact has resonated deeply within the neighborhoods we serve, fostering a collective commitment to sustainability, education, and well-being. Building on this momentum, we are now poised to extend our reach and deepen our impact through strategic partnerships and new collaborations. By leveraging the insights and experience gained from our current endeavors, we aim to address emerging needs and opportunities within vulnerable communities. Our upcoming initiatives will focus on expanding the program’s scope, enhancing its accessibility, and further integrating with local organizations to create a network of support that champions both environmental and social progress.

Get ready to dive into the future of Ready, Set, Grow! in Part three of our series. We’re excited to reveal how our innovative program is expanding its horizons through new nonprofit partnerships and transformative collaborations. From enhancing community gardens with local organizations to creating engaging educational experiences for diverse groups, our initiative is set to make a lasting impact.

As we forge ahead, we’re thrilled to share our ambitious plans and the promising new directions for Ready, Set, Grow! Our future endeavors aim to deepen community connections, foster sustainability, and inspire a new generation of environmental stewards. Stay tuned to discover how our program is evolving and the exciting opportunities on the horizon!

Happy Planting!

-Susana and Yaredly

If you’re interested in getting involved with Ready, Set, Grow!, reach out to us at readysetgrowinitiative@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram: @readysetgrowinitiative and @thehappyseedsproject