Two Central Coast schools have been granted a donor scholarship for the program

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Local nonprofit One Cool Earth (OCE) is heading back to school to teach science, nutrition, and wellness in 28 school gardens in SLO County. Excitingly, two of these partner schools have been granted a One Cool Earth Donor Sponsorship and will receive the program at no cost. 

This is possible due to the generosity of The Peter and Mary Russo Family Foundation and the Kinkade Family who invested in youth access to outdoor education by Sponsoring a School. The recipients of these Sponsorships, Baywood Elementary School and Cappy Culver Elementary School, have never benefited from this outdoor education program and are thrilled to offer this resource to their school community for the first time. The Sponsorships will directly impact an additional 530 students by improving student health, wellness, and science comprehension. 

Beyond that, with district-wide adoption of OCE’s program in Atascadero Unified School District and Paso Robles Joint Unified School District, OCE is able to integrate on campus for lasting change. 

Kathryn Holmes, Principal of San Benito Elementary School notes the attitude shift in her student body, stating that OCE “waste audits, waste sorting program, and vermicomposting system have all opened our scholars’ eyes to their impact on the world around them.”

With a qualified team of OCE Garden Educators heading on campus in the coming weeks, over 11,000 of our local students will benefit from this science program.

About One Cool Earth 

One Cool Earth is a SLO County non-profit that partners with local public schools for integrated outdoor education on-campus in school gardens. Their mission is to create school garden programs that grow healthy, happy, and smart youth.