Teaching to Grow

Cassie Scott uses her love of gardening to make a difference within the community of North Richmond, California. Located in a low income neighbourhood where racial tensions, violence and drive-by shootings are common, Scott’s teaching garden at Verde Elementary School provides the students with an area to escape the daily stresses of their living environments. It is a place of community where they can learn about the beauty and diversity of nature by working together in the garden. A dynamic approach to teaching both traditional curriculum and social change, Scott’s teaching garden brings children of different races and backgrounds together in hands-on projects that for many represent the first joyful experience of helping something grow.