Groundswell's Young Gardeners Program

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Groundswell's Young Gardeners Program A project of Groundswell, we grow food with kids to cultivate health and happiness

We are officially in Week 3 of The Hygiene Harvest! 🧴🧼Our back-to-school drive is in full swing, and we are so grateful ...
07/13/2026

We are officially in Week 3 of The Hygiene Harvest! 🧴🧼

Our back-to-school drive is in full swing, and we are so grateful for everyone who donated the last two Sundays. We still need your help to make sure Galveston Independent School District students head back to the classroom next month feeling confident and fully prepared! 🏫

Every Sunday morning this month, you can drop off essential hygiene items right at the info booth.

All items collected by our team will be handed out directly to elementary, middle, and high school students at the Back to School event on July 29th at Central Middle School.

🎒What we are collecting:
- Feminine hygiene products
- Undergarments and socks
- Body soap and lotion
- Deodorant
- Face wipes and body wipes

Let’s keep the momentum going!

🐔 Learn more or visit: https://www.groundswellgalveston.com/events/the-hygiene-harvest


If you’ve been wondering what we’re up to while our favorite little gardeners are on summer vacation... we are busy gett...
07/08/2026

If you’ve been wondering what we’re up to while our favorite little gardeners are on summer vacation... we are busy getting ready for the best party of the summer— ! 🥳

What exactly is OkraFest? It is Groundswell / Galveston's Own Farmers Market's premier annual summer fundraising gala where our local community gathers in the name of food access for ALL, education, and community health on Island.

🎟️ Want to party with a purpose and support our Young Gardeners? Snag your seats today at the link in our bio! https://www.okrafestgalveston.com

Now that we’re a few weeks into summer vacation, we’re looking back at how we wrapped up the school year, and we still h...
06/10/2026

Now that we’re a few weeks into summer vacation, we’re looking back at how we wrapped up the school year, and we still have some major kudos to hand out for the Austin Showcase (Austin Elementary)!

The showcase is officially in the books, and we are still riding the high from all that hard work. We are incredibly grateful to EcoRise for providing the Student Innovation Grant that fueled these bright ideas, and to Dr. Ramirez for her tireless support of Outdoor Education.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the dedicated teachers who jumped in with both feet to lead the way and inspire their students. It’s so inspiring to see what happens when innovation meets real world support. Hats off to the entire crew for making it happen!

We are so proud and grateful, and we are already looking forward to next school year! 🌱

Are you ready to get your hands in the soil and your ideas in motion? Groundswell is officially NOW HIRING Garden Leader...
06/10/2026

Are you ready to get your hands in the soil and your ideas in motion? Groundswell is officially NOW HIRING Garden Leaders for the 2026–2027 GISD school year! 🎒✨

We are looking for passionate, energetic mentors to guide our incredible Young Gardeners through afterschool adventures in gardening, cooking, and hands-on outdoor learning. As a Garden Leader, you’ll turn everyday moments under the sun into lessons of teamwork, laughter, and lifelong growth. 🥦👩‍🌾

The Details:
🕒 Part-time, afterschool hours (perfect for students, freelancers, or lovers of the outdoors!)
📍 Located at GISD campuses
🙌 Hands-on leadership experience in community food systems

If you love working with kids, believe in the power of fresh food, and want to help our island youth thrive, we want you on our team. Come help us grow the next generation of food leaders!

🌐 Ready to apply? Head to the link in our bio or visit: https://www.groundswellgalveston.com/careers/ygp-garden-leader-sub

SCHOOL YEAR: WRAPPED! SUMMER VACATION: IN SESSION! 🎒🌱The final bell has rung, the classrooms are empty, and our Young Ga...
06/03/2026

SCHOOL YEAR: WRAPPED! SUMMER VACATION: IN SESSION! 🎒🌱

The final bell has rung, the classrooms are empty, and our Young Gardeners are officially on summer break! 🕶️☀️

Now that the 2025–2026 Galveston Independent School District school year has officially wrapped up, we are looking back at a season where our students took "getting your hands dirty" to an absolute gold-medal level. From our energetic Pre-K tiny tots to our seasoned middle schoolers, these kids completely owned their gardens this year.

They dug deep, grew their own fresh food, braved the ultimate taste tests, and even took over Groundswell / Galveston's Own Farmers Market to share their incredible campus harvests with the community! Yes, you heard that right: they planted it, picked it, and proudly shared it themselves. 👩‍🌾

A massive, shoutout to Galveston ISD Texas ACE and Kids TOR Prep for powering this afterschool experience and helping our students thrive every single week. We could not have done it without you!

Campus might be quiet for the summer, but the seeds are firmly planted and the soil is resting up. Enjoy your vacation, we’ll be back next season ready to grow even bigger! 🌿💪🏽

🌱🧚‍♂️ A HUGE shoutout to the one and only, Amy Argubright! 🧚‍♂️🌱Our Outdoor Education initiative engages students in the...
05/20/2026

🌱🧚‍♂️ A HUGE shoutout to the one and only, Amy Argubright! 🧚‍♂️🌱

Our Outdoor Education initiative engages students in the Young Gardners Program garden classroom bell-to-bell with TEKS-aligned lesson plans, while teachers receive coaching and curriculum support to bring lessons outdoors with confidence. But let’s be honest: this entire pilot program would not have been possible without Amy, our incredible Outdoor Learning Educator!

Between her deep knowledge, her vibrant spirit, and the way the kids naturally gravitate towards her, we truly could not have had anyone better to launch this program. From the hottest sunny days to the rainiest of them all, Amy is deeply dedicated to her craft and just dang good at what she does!

Although she will be shifting out of this role to pursue her newest endeavors, the work and passion she poured in will forever live in this initiative and the entire Young Gardeners Program.
Let's send Ms. Amy all the love and hugs she deserves!

Enjoy the cute selfies we had the privilege of receiving all year long and leave your favorite fairy emoji in the comments below for the ultimate garden fairy herself! 👇✨🧚‍♀️🌷

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This OE pilot at Austin Elementary leverages the garden as a multi-disciplinary classroom. By combining math, teamwork, and nutrition into one hands-on experience, we’re showing students that the skills they learn in the dirt translate to every part of their lives.

Behind every thriving garden… there’s a community making sure it grows. 🌿✨As we celebrate our 6th SEED Cohort, we want t...
05/11/2026

Behind every thriving garden… there’s a community making sure it grows. 🌿✨

As we celebrate our 6th SEED Cohort, we want to honor the incredible partners and sponsors who poured into this journey. Your support didn’t just make this internship possible—you helped shape experiences that these young leaders will carry for a lifetime.

With deep gratitude, thank you to:
✨ Busy Bee Taxi – for ensuring our interns arrived safely and consistently, removing barriers to participation.
✨ Groundswell / Galveston's Own Farmers Market teams & board members – for your vision, leadership, and unwavering commitment to youth and community.
✨ Galveston Independent School District, Galveston ISD Texas ACE & TOR – for your continued partnership and investment in student growth and opportunity.
✨ Mary Palmer, New Bayou Living Labs – for guiding our interns with insight, care, and real-world perspective.
✨ EcoRise Team – for expanding their understanding of sustainability and environmental impact (and for the funding!).
✨ Phylicia French – for pouring into our interns with motivation, inspiration, and encouragement.
✨Hotel Lucine's The Fancy– for providing a beautiful garden-to-table dining experience that brought learning full circle.
✨ CenterPoint Energy – for your support in helping power opportunities and invest in the next generation of leaders.

Because of you, this was more than an internship. It was a transformative experience rooted in purpose, connection, and possibility. 🫶🌱

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The SEED Internship (Students For Eco-Empowerment & Diversity) is a pillar of YGP, focusing is a bridging the gap between urban gardening and the local economy. Through hands-on experience in sustainability and food justice, interns gain professional skills to tackle food access and make a lasting impact on Galveston.

🌱 Find out more about the SEED Internship here: https://www.groundswellgalveston.com/seed-internship

Mission: CELEBRATE! 🫧✨We’ve officially hit the Grand Finale week of Outdoor Education, and let’s just say we went out wi...
05/06/2026

Mission: CELEBRATE! 🫧✨

We’ve officially hit the Grand Finale week of Outdoor Education, and let’s just say we went out with a bang (and a lot of bubbles)!

We traded our garden trowels for chalk and juice pops to celebrate a semester of hard work and growth. But the real highlight? The heart. ❤️

It’s been a blast! Thanks for growing with us this season.

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This OE pilot at .galveston leverages the garden as a multi-disciplinary classroom. By combining math, teamwork, and nutrition into one hands-on experience, we’re showing students that the skills they learn in the dirt translate to every part of their lives.

It started with a spark of curiosity and a little nervous excitement. 🌿✨Now, a few weeks since their journey wrapped, we...
04/30/2026

It started with a spark of curiosity and a little nervous excitement. 🌿✨

Now, a few weeks since their journey wrapped, we are still looking back with so much pride at our 6th SEED Cohort. They didn't just complete a program; they walked away with confidence, clarity, and a deeper understanding of the impact they are capable of making in this world.

Yes… they learned how to plant, grow, and harvest food. But that was just the beginning.

These young leaders explored environmental justice, food apartheid, and the power of community. They discovered that growing food isn’t just about what’s in the soil—it’s about people, connection, and equity. From powerful final project presentations to leading the way with YGP, this cohort showed us exactly what it looks like to turn knowledge into action.

We are so honored to celebrate each of them:

🌱 Daiana Aguilar
🌱 Jadon Alexander
🌱 Clara Douglas
🌱 Lillian Grimes
🌱 Gabriel Martinez
🌱 Jay McCaskill
🌱 Abigail Reyes-Salazar
🌱 TaLiyah Roberson
🌱 Tarris Woods

Your growth is real. Your voices matter. Your leadership is just getting started.

Thank you to the families, partners, and community who helped nurture this journey. It truly takes a village to grow leaders like these. 🌍💚

Address

Houston, TX

Telephone

+12817254710

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