'It turned into something so big' | DPS senior creates community gardens, chicken coop at his school

'It turned into something so big' | DPS senior creates community gardens, chicken coop at his school

Graduation season is coming up and on diplomas, students can be honored for their grades, their accomplishments and now, climate literacy.

School Gardens Lose Funding, Students and Communities Suffer

Key Takeaways: Mendota Elementary School’s garden is a vital part of its curriculum, teaching students about growing food and caring for the planet. The USDA recently cut funding for programs like this under President Trump’s executive order. The loss of funding has left schools and organizations scrambling for alternative funding sources. Advocates say this move hurts low-income communities, farmers, and the environment. The programs were desi…

Trump’s Latest USDA Cuts Undermine His Plan to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ - Organic Consumers

Trump’s Latest USDA Cuts Undermine His Plan to ‘Make America Healthy Again’April 22, 2025 | Source: Grist | by Ayurella Horn-Muller Early in the morning last Monday, a group of third graders huddled in the garden of Mendota Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin. Of the dozen students present, a handful were busy filling up buckets of compost, others were readying soil beds for spring planting, while a number carefully watered freshly planted r…

Schools and farmers left scrambling after USDA axes $100 million program

The USDA's cancellation of the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program funding, aimed at supplying schools with fresh produce and agricultural education, follows President Trump's executive order targeting 'radical' and 'wasteful' DEI initiatives.