Kingston High School earned top honors in the 2025 School Garden Contest as the winner of the Best Education-Based Garden for their outstanding integration of agriculture, science, and real-world learning into the classroom.
Launched in the 2024– 2025 school year, Kingston’s school garden is a fully hands-on learning experience. Horticulture students began the process by starting every plant from seed in the greenhouse, learning about germination and plant care from the ground up.
Ag Exploration and Intro to Animal Science students then designed and built raised beds to house wicking tubs—creating a sustainable growing system for a wide variety of vegetables and flowers.
The garden now produces a variety of crops, including broccoli, several types of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers and more. These crops form the foundation of lessons in sustainability, food systems, and nutrition.
Students harvested their produce and learned how to prepare healthy meals— some even participated in canning classes where they made jam and salsa. Every student was assigned two types of vegetables to research, grow and present to the class, covering the full journey from seed to table and highlighting nutritional value.
To tie the experience into literacy, students also journaled about garden progress, writing twice weekly about greenhouse updates, flower beds, pests and growing conditions, making science and writing come alive through meaningful, real-time observation.
More than just an academic exercise, the garden provides essential life skills. In a community where many families face food insecurity, Kingston’s program empowers students to grow food that can help support their families.
There are also plans to grow extra produce to donate to the local food bank, strengthening the school’s connection to its broader community.
The agriculture education department has ensured this garden is built to last—partnering with a local commercial greenhouse for expert guidance and support. Students remain involved in every phase—from selecting what to grow and sketching companion planting layouts to constructing beds, installing trellises and planning for future expansions, such as aquaponics and hydroponic systems.
KingstonHighhascreated a model of how agriculture education can be deeply relevant, student-centered and community-driven. By giving students ownership over the garden and integrating it across curriculum areas, the program fosters not only knowledge but also confidence, purpose and pride.