PRJUSD and AUSD have entered contracts with the non-profit to provide school gardens

Paso Robles— Local Non-Profit One Cool Earth has seen a boom in demand for school gardens in the wake of the pandemic. Schools are in need of outdoor classrooms as a safe way to learn and spend time as a community. This year alone, One Cool Earth has built five new “living-laboratories” in San Luis Obispo County, increasing their partner schools to a total of 23 schools on the Central Coast.

Key players pushing for the adoption of Outdoor Education are Paso Robles Joint Unified and Atascadero Unified School Districts, who have entered into district-wide contracts with One Cool Earth, ensuring that all Elementary Students and some Middle and High Schoolers in their district benefit from hands-on science taught in their school gardens. One Cool Earth has been working toward a more sustainable future for our community since 2001 but has seen more growth in the last year than any year prior. 

At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony at Winifred Pifer Elementary School, PRJUSD Superintendent Curt Dubost, PRJUSD Curriculum Director Erin Haley, and Principal Holly Moore demonstrated their support and enthusiasm alongside students who can’t wait to get out in the garden to learn, explore, and connect. 

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About One Cool Earth 

One Cool Earth is a SLO County non-profit that partners with 23 local schools for integrated outdoor education on-campus through their Earth Genius Program. Their mission is to create awesome school garden programs that power healthy, happy, and smart youth.