Page 31 - WesternU View - Summer 2014
P. 31
Master gardener Rishi Kumar explains to children and their parents how to properly plant.
Drawing from her experiences as a WesternU Master of “A lot of these kids in general, they are going to be our
Science in Health Sciences student and a Pomona Health future patients, so if we can start from the ground up
Career Ladder volunteer, Kothari wanted to address the with that, about teaching them healthy lifestyles,
issues of nutrition and diabetes in Pomona. exercise and good
things, it’s helping
“I thought having the garden would promote a healthy our jobs in the
lifestyle as well as provide a sense of community,” future,” Jubran
Kothari said. “I think they would be more excited to get said.
the vegetable they grew versus going to McDonald’s.”
The garden is in
Fatayerji was surprised that a lot of the children she the final stage of
started working with did not know the difference being sustainable at
between vegetable Madison, said
and fruit. COMP Community
Program
“We would ask First-grade student Leilani Rengal, 6, gets help
them what is a Coordinator Helen from her mother, Maggie, to expand a post hole.
watermelon, and Musharbash.
they could not “This last year we will encourage more parent interaction
tell us if it was a and empowerment on the schools campus,” Musharbash
fruit or said. “Part of the garden is to give them ownership of the
vegetable,” project that they can carry on themselves after WesternU
Fatayerji said. pulls out of the project.”
WesternU students lay mulch. “They came a
long way from Students from the colleges of optometry and dental
not knowing what a fruit or vegetable is to building a medicines and the Latino Medical Student Association
community garden. It was a progress throughout the also volunteered at the garden.
whole year and the community garden was the cherry
on top.” Grow PUSD, a program to create and expand school
gardens in the district, and master gardener Rishi Kumar
Jubran said the garden has allowed them to practice were vital to setting up the garden. Tri-City Mental
things they have learned in class, reinforcing their skills Health Center, a public agency serving Pomona,
by speaking and interacting with children and their Claremont, and La Verne funded the garden, as well as
parents. the other resources at Madison. – Jeff Malet
WesternU View Summer 2014 29
Drawing from her experiences as a WesternU Master of “A lot of these kids in general, they are going to be our
Science in Health Sciences student and a Pomona Health future patients, so if we can start from the ground up
Career Ladder volunteer, Kothari wanted to address the with that, about teaching them healthy lifestyles,
issues of nutrition and diabetes in Pomona. exercise and good
things, it’s helping
“I thought having the garden would promote a healthy our jobs in the
lifestyle as well as provide a sense of community,” future,” Jubran
Kothari said. “I think they would be more excited to get said.
the vegetable they grew versus going to McDonald’s.”
The garden is in
Fatayerji was surprised that a lot of the children she the final stage of
started working with did not know the difference being sustainable at
between vegetable Madison, said
and fruit. COMP Community
Program
“We would ask First-grade student Leilani Rengal, 6, gets help
them what is a Coordinator Helen from her mother, Maggie, to expand a post hole.
watermelon, and Musharbash.
they could not “This last year we will encourage more parent interaction
tell us if it was a and empowerment on the schools campus,” Musharbash
fruit or said. “Part of the garden is to give them ownership of the
vegetable,” project that they can carry on themselves after WesternU
Fatayerji said. pulls out of the project.”
WesternU students lay mulch. “They came a
long way from Students from the colleges of optometry and dental
not knowing what a fruit or vegetable is to building a medicines and the Latino Medical Student Association
community garden. It was a progress throughout the also volunteered at the garden.
whole year and the community garden was the cherry
on top.” Grow PUSD, a program to create and expand school
gardens in the district, and master gardener Rishi Kumar
Jubran said the garden has allowed them to practice were vital to setting up the garden. Tri-City Mental
things they have learned in class, reinforcing their skills Health Center, a public agency serving Pomona,
by speaking and interacting with children and their Claremont, and La Verne funded the garden, as well as
parents. the other resources at Madison. – Jeff Malet
WesternU View Summer 2014 29
