[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING REAL SCHOOL GARDENS' 100TH LEARNING GARDEN IN TEXAS

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                          HON. KENNY MARCHANT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 3, 2015

  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize REAL School 
Gardens' 100th learning garden at Jerry Junkins Elementary School, 
which will be the fifth REAL School Garden in the 24th district of 
Texas. REAL School Gardens is a nonprofit organization that has been 
creating outdoor learning gardens in low-income elementary schools 
since 2003. Once this 100th outdoor classroom is completed, the 
organization will have engaged more than 100,000 students in Texas in 
hands-on curricula integrating science with language arts.
  REAL School Gardens' strong commitment to having local communities 
invested in the design, build, and use of the school gardens is truly 
impressive. Each REAL School Garden involves a partnership between 
students and their parents, the school, and private funders. Once a 
school is selected, REAL School Gardens works with the principal and 
teachers to host a student design challenge. The community then comes 
together for a ``Design and Dine'' dinner to tailor the garden plan to 
the school's culture and learning objectives.
  Once the design is finalized, everyone, including corporate partners 
such as Mercedes Benz Financial Services, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of 
Texas, and Wells Fargo, participates in the ``Big Dig''--an event when 
the community builds the garden in just one day. The results have been 
remarkable. In my district, there are outdoor learning gardens with 
earth science stations, drip irrigation systems, weather data stations, 
and wildlife habitats that serve as learning tools that have helped 
participating schools in Texas have standardized test score pass rates 
jump 12 to 15 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to congratulate REAL School Gardens on 
this achievement and wish the organization the best with the next 100 
REAL School Gardens. I ask all of my distinguished colleagues to join 
me in celebrating such an accomplishment.

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