Oceanside, CA Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) has received a $1,000 grant from San Diego County Ag in the Classroom to support the Wellness Warriors program by expanding the existing garden at San Luis Rey Elementary.
Now in its fourth year, Wellness Warriors runs year-round and is designed to provide youth with the tools they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. This unique health and wellness program incorporates classroom curriculum, outdoor fitness activities and challenges, nutrition and cooking activities as well as suicide prevention.
According to the California Department of Education, 31% of youth in San Diego County are overweight and will face lifelong health issues if their lifestyle patterns are not changed. The Wellness Warriors program aims to actively engage youth in taking control of their physical and emotional well-being. They need the nutrition, exercise, stress reduction and healthy cooking curriculum that this program provides.
In order to encourage our youth members to eat more fruits and vegetables and give them a hands-on experience, BGCO staff and members started a Garden Club. Under the guidance of staff, youth planted the garden’s very first plants- herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and sage), tomatoes and turnips! Youth in the Garden Club, 3r to 5th graders, tend to the garden three times a week. They have worked extremely hard to get the garden started, and BGCO is looking forward to using the grant funds to really make the garden grow!
“We are so grateful to the San Diego County Ag in the Classroom for this grant. Our youth need to learn the importance of good nutrition now more than ever, and that all starts with learning how food is grown. We can’t wait to see our new garden beds flourish as a result of this grant funding!” said Jodi Diamond, CEO.
For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside please contact Rhonda Guaderrama at rguaderrama@BGCOceanside.org, call (760) 433-8920, and visit our website BGCOceanside.org
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) is a youth development organization that is dedicated to providing a safe, fun and enriching environment for youth to spend time during non-school hours.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside is a local, independent organization affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. BGCO raises 100% of the funds that support our life changing programs through individual giving, events and grants. 100% of those funds stay right here in North County to serve youth in our local communities.
We continue to uphold our mission: To inspire, develop and enrich young people to reach their fullest potential as confident, responsible, caring members of society.
San Diego County Ag in the Classroom (SDAITC)
A 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, was launched in 1996 by agriculturalists wanting to advance ag literacy for students in San Diego County. Ag in the Classroom is all about the kids, their education, and the future of agriculture. The sooner we expose our children’s natural curiosity to the wonder of soils, plants, water, and animals, the better chance we have to develop good stewards of the land who will respect the work of the farm. SDAITC does just that, by providing teachers with the tools they need to inspire our youth to appreciate agriculture and be part of a new farming generation. Over the past decade, SDAITC and its partners have been responsible for introducing a variety of comprehensive programs throughout the county.
