They Grew This!

    When you think of school food, you might picture soggy sandwiches and limp vegetables. But visit STAR School in Arizona, and you’ll see something different. 

    Breakfast might be fluffy pancakes and juicy melon. Lunch could be lasagna and crisp green beans.

    This food is healthy and tasty. But that’s not the only reason it’s special. Much of it is grown right at the school. 

    Hannah and Nariyah, both 14, graduated from STAR School last year. They cared for the school’s gardens with their classmates. 

    For them, growing food is a powerful feeling. And they want to spread that feeling throughout their community.

    When you think of school food, what do you picture? Soggy sandwiches? Limp vegetables? At STAR School in Arizona, things are different.

    Breakfast might be pancakes and juicy melon. Lunch could be lasagna and crisp green beans.

    This food is healthy and tasty. But that’s not all that’s special about it. Much of it is grown right at the school.

    Hannah and Nariyah are 14. They graduated from STAR School last year. They helped care for the school’s gardens.

    For them, growing food feels great. They want to share that feeling with their community.

    When you think of school food, you might imagine soggy sandwiches and limp vegetables. But visit STAR School in Arizona, and you’ll see something different.

    Breakfast might be fluffy pancakes and juicy melon. Lunch could be lasagna and crisp green beans.

    This food is healthy and delicious, but that’s not the only reason it’s special. Much of it is grown right at the school.

    Hannah and Nariyah, both 14, graduated from STAR School last year. They cared for the school’s gardens with their classmates.

    For them, growing food is a powerful feeling—and they want to spread that feeling throughout their community.

    STAR School sits on the edge of the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona. Like most of the school’s students, Hannah and Nariyah are Navajo. The Navajo are Indigenous people. They have lived in what is now the Southwestern United States for nearly 1,000 years.

    Students at STAR School have always kept gardens. Why? The school’s founders wanted Navajo students to connect to their culture. And farming has always been a big part of Navajo life.

    The Navajo people’s relationship to Earth is sacred. Farming helps them stay connected to the land.

    In the 1800s, the U.S. went to war against the Navajo. U.S. soldiers burned the Navajo fields and killed their farm animals.

    This violent history affects the Navajo Nation even now. Some families still have farms. But many don’t have the resources to grow their own food.

    STAR School is a tiny school that sits on the edge of the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona. Like most of the school’s students, both Hannah and Nariyah are Navajo. The Navajo are Indigenous people who have lived in what is now the Southwestern United States for nearly 1,000 years.

    Students at STAR School have always kept gardens because the school’s founders wanted Navajo students to connect to their culture. And farming has always been a big part of Navajo life.

    The Navajo people’s relationship to Earth is sacred, and farming is a way to stay connected to the land.

    In the 1800s, the U.S. went to war against the Navajo. U.S. soldiers burned the Navajo fields and killed their farm animals.

    This violent history affects the Navajo Nation even now. While some families still have farms, many don’t have the resources to grow their own food.

    Last year, Hannah and Nariyah wanted to spread the joy of growing food. So they helped 10 local families plant gardens. They taught those families how to make meals from what they grow.

    Hannah and Nariyah are proud of their work in the garden. They say it helps them feel connected to their ancestors. At STAR School, they grew Navajo foods, like white corn and Lakota squash. They raised sheep for meat. They even cooked a monthly meal for their community’s elders.

    The girls learned a lot. They learned how to help others. They learned teamwork. And they learned patience. When you plant a seed, “it’s not going to grow really fast,” says Nariyah.

    Now more members of the community can grow their own food. They can feed others. It’s all thanks to Hannah and Nariyah.   

    The girls planted more than vegetable seeds. 

    They planted seeds of change. 

    Last year, Hannah and Nariyah wanted to spread the joy and power of growing food. So they helped 10 local families plant their own gardens, and they taught those families how to prepare meals from the food they grow.

    Both Hannah and Nariyah are proud of their work in the garden. They say it helps them feel connected to their ancestors. During their time at STAR School, they grew Navajo foods, such as white corn and Lakota squash. They raised sheep for meat. They even cooked a monthly meal for their community’s elders.

    Through gardening, the girls learned more than just planting and growing. They learned how to help others and how to work together as a team. They also learned patience. When you plant a seed, “it’s not going to grow really fast,” explains Nariyah.

    Thanks to Hannah and Nariyah’s hard work, more members of the community can now grow their own food. They can feed their families and neighbors.   

    The pair planted more than vegetable seeds at their school. They planted seeds of change.