Garden to Salad Bar

I was proud to see Rodney Taylor, RUSD's Nutrition Services Director, on the front cover of California Country magazine. He has been such a relentless advocate to provide healthy meals to our students. Rodney has also been a great supporter of our garden project at Emerson.

Some of the most meaningful moments occur in our garden to cafeteria project when students make the connection between science, a little hard work, and the sweet taste of a strawberry, still warm from the sun. In the photo, our cafeteria manager is writing an invoice for the strawberries she is receiving from the students. The money that we earn by selling fruits and vegetables pays for much of the garden's cost.

The students' teacher, Mrs. Folger, guided the students in a wonderful math lesson, adding up the value of their harvest. Rodney then presented the kids with a "huge check" for their contribution of fresh strawberries (and some vegetables as well) to our salad bar.

Sheila Close, Emerson's Volunteer of the Year, who is pictured on the left, has poured hundreds of hours into the garden during the past 6 years.