Kids’ self confidence grows along with vegetable garden

Published 9:42 pm Friday, July 24, 2009

MOUNT VERNON — What started out as a simple survey of what would make life better for residents of La Casa San Jose apartments in Skagit County, turned into a youth program focusing on education and gardening.

“Parents said they wanted a safe place where their kids could get help with their homework and have some recreational opportunities,” said Leah VanderStoep, resident services coordinator for the Archdiocesan Housing Authority, which operates the 50-unit property for farm workers and their families.

VanderStoep’s survey led to a summer program that has blossomed — and with it a half-acre vegetable garden tended by the adult residents and their children, all of whom are Latino.

Not only are the children gaining knowledge in gardening, the vegetables they plant are picked and taken home to be eaten.

“Kids that said they hated vegetables or had health problems because of their diet, now love vegetables,” VanderStoep said. “There is something about taking ownership for what they grew that makes it more satisfying to eat it.”

The program is run completely by volunteers and made possible by donated resources. The housing authority donated the land for the garden site. Happy Face Farms, Inc. tilled the land for free and removed logs and trash from the site. Sunseed Farm donated plants and seeds.

Because of this group effort, a safe place has been created where children grow vegetables and learn, VanderStoep said.

Tori Talkington, youth programs coordinator for the Archdiocesan Housing Authority, said the most important service the program provides is boosting children’s self-esteem.

“A lot of the research done on Latino youths is about dropout rates being high in this population because of self-esteem and lack of finding their self identity,” Talkington said. “We wanted to run a youth program that focuses on reading and studying, but also one that focuses on more nontraditional education, like art projects and gardening.”

Talkington said it’s a way to help youngsters realize they have options in life.

“A reason why a lot of kids do dropout is because they don’t feel empowered,” Talkington said.

The eight-week program is for three hours on Wednesdays. VanderStoep said she already sees improvement.

“It’s amazing how fast kids are gaining confidence from this,” she said. “One kid who once called himself ‘stupid’ to a volunteer now is excited to read and is happier, which I think is a big success.”

Eight-year-old Martin Gonzalez said that before the program, he didn’t care for vegetables much, but now his favorite is kale. Martin showed off the tomato plants he planted and how they are starting to produce tomatoes.

The young gardeners have also planted beans and nasturtiums, which produce edible flowers.

Sarah Detzer, a youth group volunteer, said working with the children is rewarding and incorporates both of her passions — art and being outdoors.

“Its nice to see that it’s not just what I want kids to be into,” Detzer said. “I want them to be into gardening instead of video games, but they are really into it. It’s nice to see that.”