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116 FY25 Wellness Promotion Policy (WPP) Annual Report Back to MenuPhysical EnvironmentIt is the mission of the Joseph P Cory Foundation (JPCF) to educate and empower children, families, and communities to achieve wellness and well-being through expertise, education, and guidance. As collaborative partners with the District, and its Wellness Promotion Task Force (WPTF), the Joseph P Cory Foundation welcomes the opportunity to showcase their Gardens of Hope (GOH) program, bringing the depth of this profound work to a wider audience, thus making a positive impact on student health.Nearly one in five school-age children in the United States is obese, a dis-ease that was once considered to be adult-limited. Gardens of Hope, the JPCF signature program, provides a complete mind-body-spirit experience for all those who are beneficiaries of this grant. These exemplary environments provide hands-on nutrition education, movement, and promote leadership skills and peer collaboration. Offered at no cost to targeted groups, such as garden or afterschool clubs, this program helps students learn strategies to eat more fruits and vegetables and build food literacy, while providing safe, convenient access to fresh organic produce. Through nutrition education in the form of gardening, eating herbs/vegetables, and related projects, advancements multiply in the %u201coutdoor classrooms,%u201d more than merely textbook learning could provide. Most notably, numerous studies substantiate that school gardens represent a unique opportunity to combat obesity and foster improved health, while cultivating an early appreciation for beneficial foods.In 2019, their pilot program launched at two Title 1 school campuses in collaboration with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine%u2019s MD/MPH program. The JPCF quantified and confirmed what was hypothesized, resulting in a 2021 published paper in the International Journal of School Health. Unequivocally, the Gardens of Hope program reflected positive changes in student knowledge, attitude, and behavior.To continue collecting additional program data and to scale up Gardens of Hope, Phase 2 commenced in FY24, with a new Body Mass Index %u201cBMI%u201d Pilot program which took place at Lake Worth Middle. The newly engaged group of medical-track students were recipients of a %u201cscaled-up%u201d syllabus with newly designed, age-appropriate curriculum and goals. Students conceptualize their Gardens of Hope as %u201ccool, fun, and enjoyable,%u201d and look forward to their own growth within the Gardens of Hope program...one seed at a time.Through their website and social media channels, the public can access the Gardens of Hope curricula, a body of work which has been approved by the District, aligning with program standards. This %u201csoil to salad%u201d syllabus is taught monthly, on site at school campuses by foundation educators, and includes a project and healthy snack. Over the course of the term, students learn how to erect, plant, maintain and harvest an organic garden, cook with its yield, and understand the nutritional value of what they consume. Additionally, while making healthy food choices, further benefits of being outdoors, socializing, and moving their bodies is the %u201cicing on the cake%u201d, OR the %u201ccherry on the salad!%u201dFY25 ended on a high note, as the Gardens of Hope project was once again showcased at the District%u2019s %u2018Wellness Celebration & Awards Ceremony%u2019 on May 2, 2025. JPCF Founder and President Mrs. Nada Cory, shared %u201c10 Years of Growing Healthy Lives%u201d highlights, followed by a video presentation. For the fourth year in a row, the School Board proclaimed April 28th to be Gardens of Hope Awareness Day countywide. Gardens of Hope in schools has tripled, and with outside community support, JPCF wish to bring this successful program to many more campuses each school year.Gardens of Hope in Schools