_An Edhat Reader
By Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture
Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is expanding its agriculture and nutrition education programs in Santa Barbara County for the 2023/24 school year. Nearly doubling participation from the previous school year, over 3,000 third-grade students in 23 schools in six school districts will take part in classroom education and farm field trips to learn about the origins of their food and the value of proper nutrition and healthy eating.
SEEAG’s programs are offered in three segments: a classroom presentation discussing agriculture and how food is grown, a field trip to SEEAG’s Farm Lab at the viticulture center/community garden at Allan Hancock College and a Youth Wellness Initiative presentation about the importance of eating healthy and physical activity.
SEEAG’s programs are 100 percent cost-free for students, teachers and schools (including a $300 reimbursement for bus transportation to SEEAG’s Farm Lab). New Santa Barbara County schools participating this year include Isla Vista Elementary, Summerland Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Aliso Elementary.
“Students really enjoy tasting recipes made from local crops and the hands-on activities at our Farm Lab,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG founder and CEO. “Each student receives vegetable seedlings, educational coloring books and healthy recipes to take home. SEEAG will also distribute about 1,600 pounds of fresh produce to students this year.”
Founded in 2008, SEEAG is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. SEEAG relies on donations to support its programs and its annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day and Ventura County Farm Day when local farms open their doors to the public.
Since it began, SEEAG has reached over 100,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California to increase their understanding of the food journey. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Mary Maranville at mary@seeag.org.
List of participating schools in Santa Barbara County:
Carpinteria USD: Aliso Elementary, Summerland Elementary.
Lompoc USD: Crestview Elementary, Leonora Fillmore Elementary.
Los Olivos SD: Los Olivos School.
Orcutt USD: Alice Shaw Elementary, Joe Nightingale Elementary, Olga Reed Elementary, Orcutt Jr High, Patterson Road Elementary.
Private: Santa Ynez Valley Christian
Santa Barbara USD: Cleveland Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Santa Barbara Jr High.
Santa Maria Bonita SD: Arellanes Elementary, Arellanes Jr High, Battles Elementary, Bill Libbon Elementary, Bruce Elementary, El Camino Jr High, Miller Elementary, Tunnell Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary
