One Cool Earth partnered with 23 public schools on the Central Coast 

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Local nonprofit One Cool Earth (OCE) partnered with 23 public schools on the Central Coast during the 2021/22 school year. With over 11,000 students participating in their “Earth Genius Program” that teaches science, nutrition, and wellness in school gardens, their impact was far reaching.

This past school year, their team of garden educators taught 2,133 hands-on lessons by using school gardens as living laboratories that bridge the gap between textbooks and the real world. They also served 20,773 taste tests which exposed students to whole, fresh foods and helped encourage healthy eating. The families and wider communities at these schools also participated in the program, ensuring that the garden is a place for everyone. OCE hosted 46 Garden Workdays where families come together to get their hands in the soil and care for the garden. Additionally, OCE hosted 13 Family Cooking Nights where students and families took home a recipe-kit, logged on, and cooked together from their homes with the instruction of a garden educator. 

With agreements to partner with five additional SLO County schools in the coming year, OCE is making school gardens a staple at Central Coast elementary schools. The growth of OCE’s impact has been rapid, making it clear that their mission is one worth supporting.

About One Cool Earth 

One Cool Earth is a SLO County nonprofit that partners with local public 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.