Battle Academy is a public elementary school located in downtown Chattanooga on the corner of Market St. and Main St. The school is a zoned magnet elementary school in Chattanooga’s Southside neighborhood. It has a rooftop garden that was established about 15 years ago. It was used to teach the students gardening skills, science content knowledge, and how to pick and try new healthy snacks.
When COVID hit, the school clubs were cancelled and the gardens beds deteriorated. Master Gardeners were approached to help refurbish the current raised beds and build additional beds. Parents and community members teamed up with Master Gardeners to install new, composite garden beds. Not an easy task given that everything had to be carried up and down from the second floor. The beds needed to be refilled with soil to prepare them for classroom use.
After the beds were refurbished, Second grade got their hands dirty planting beans, lettuce, carrots, spinach, kale, and Brussels sprouts. The whole school will get to eat and prep the harvest in the culinary lab. Thank you to Laura Robinson and the Chattanooga Area Food Bank for all of your support and donations!