UC Cooperative Extension | Agricultural Experiment Station
Ahluwalia brings financial savvy, community ethic to UCCE director role
New area director to support UC ANR programs in Colusa, Glenn, Butte, Yuba and Sutter counties As the new University of California Cooperative Extension area director for five Northern California counties, Teghpreet “Preet” Ahluwalia has an...
UC Delivers
Though the percentage of schools with gardens is growing nationwide, schools with higher percentages of students from low-income families are less likely to have school gardens. Robert Bruce Elementary in Santa Maria has a high percentage of low-income students (96.7% qualified for the Free and Reduced School Meals Program). Following national trends, this school did not have access to a school garden, and 51.2% of its 5th grade students were found to need improvement in aerobic capacity on the CA Physical Fitness Report, as opposed to 35.1% of 5th graders in the county. Within its school district, this school was often referred to as the “forgotten school” in terms of school beautification.
Read about: Garden-based nutrition education in Santa Maria, CA | View Other Stories