Thousands of Students Nationwide to Grow Their Own Food Through Expanding Community Garden and STEM Initiative

Summer Activations in Flint, Mich., and Martinsburg, W.Va., Kick Off National Campaign; GROW Initiative Expands to Schools in All 50 States This Fall - Bringing Food Literacy, STEM Education, and Environmental Stewardship to 5,000 Youth.

Thousands of students across the country will grow their own food this year through a major national initiative designed to connect youth with food education, healthy living, and environmental stewardship. Beginning with 2,000 hands-on garden kits distributed this summer in Flint and Genesee County, Michigan, and Berkeley County, West Virginia, and expanding to schools in all 50 states this fall, the effort by America The Beautiful Foundation's GROW initiative (Gardens, Recreation, Outdoors & Wildlife), which is working to develop the next generation of environmental stewards, is in partnership with Growums garden kits; Little Green Thumb Foundation, which is supporting the program’s educational and curriculum framework; and The Sunflower Project, a nonprofit program of Unstoppable Future Corporation, which designs nationwide campaigns, unites partners, and helps build STEM/STEAM labs in communities. Dr. Emily Weeks, executive director of America The Beautiful Foundation, said the campaign's fall expansion into schools nationwide is central to the Foundation's mission.

"Everything we do at America The Beautiful Foundation, and through our GROW program - outdoor recreation, environmental education, community gardens, wildlife conservation, trails, parks, and youth leadership programs - is rooted in protecting the future of America and its youth," Weeks said. "The work happening in Flint and Martinsburg shows what's possible when national support meets passionate local partners, and this fall we're taking that model to schools in all 50 states. Getting garden kits into the hands of youth is exactly the kind of impact we exist to create."

Local host partners include Berston Field House and Cultivating Our Community – Genesee County Parks in Michigan; the Martinsburg Roundhouse and For the Kids, by George Children's Museum in West Virginia, and 100 schools across the country. The campaign brings together nationally recognized organizations to help transform classrooms, community centers, green spaces, and homes into living laboratories for STEM learning, sustainability, and community resilience.

Summer Activations: Flint and Martinsburg

In Flint and Genesee County, 1,500 students will receive garden kits this summer through one of the city's largest youth gardening initiatives in recent years. Led locally by Berston Field House and Cultivating Our Community – Genesee County Parks, distribution will take place through two primary community channels: 500 kits through Berston Field House and 1,000 kits in partnership with Cultivating Our Community – Genesee County Parks through schools, classrooms, and broader community networks.

In Martinsburg, 500 Berkeley County students will receive kits through school groups visiting For the Kids, by George Children's Museum and the Martinsburg Roundhouse, a National Historic Landmark managed by the Berkeley County Roundhouse Authority - a public corporation authorized by Act of the West Virginia Legislature for preservation and revitalization of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Martinsburg Shops. The Martinsburg activation also supports new STEM initiatives and collaborations between the Children's Museum and the Roundhouse.

Each Growums garden kit is designed to help students grow their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs while building hands-on skills in science, sustainability, and healthy living. Students and families also receive access to a digital learning platform featuring guided educational content, allowing the experience to extend beyond classrooms and community centers into the home. Organizers estimate each kit could generate approximately $180 in home-grown food value, creating a meaningful economic benefit for participating families.

Fall Expansion: GROW Goes to Schools in All 50 States

Building on the summer pilots, the initiative will expand this fall through America The Beautiful Foundation's GROW program, bringing garden kits and curriculum directly into schools in all 50 states. The fall school expansion will reach an additional 3,000 students - bringing the campaign's total to 5,000 youth growing their own food in 2026. The Flint and Martinsburg activations are designed to serve as replicable, scalable models for integrating hands-on food education into schools and community-based learning environments nationwide.

Community Voices

For Friends of Berston Executive Director James Avery, the initiative reflects the organization's longstanding commitment to investing in Flint youth through practical, community-centered opportunities.

"Berston has always been about giving Flint's young people the tools they need to thrive," Avery said. "These garden kits do exactly that - they put something real in kids' hands and connect them to where their food comes from. We're proud to help bring this program to Flint families this summer."

For Matt Umstead, board chair of the Berkeley County Roundhouse Authority, which manages Martinsburg Roundhouse, the initiative reflects the organization's commitment to education-focused partnerships that encourage hands-on learning and community connection to West Virginia's 16th National Historic Landmark.

"The Roundhouse has been transforming into a place where our community comes together, and this program gives Berkeley County kids something real to hold onto - the chance to grow their own food and discover where it comes from," Umstead said. "We're proud to help launch this STEM initiative and bring this experience to local families."

As a co-host and distribution partner, For the Kids, by George Children's Museum leadership says the pilot is a natural extension of its total-immersion approach to learning.

"Hands-on discovery is at the heart of what we do at the George Children's Museum," said Aubrey Ervin, board member at For the Kids, by George Children's Museum. "Partnering with the Martinsburg Roundhouse to put garden kits in the hands of Berkeley County students lets us extend that mission beyond our walls - kids aren't just learning about food and science, they're growing it themselves. We're thrilled to help bring this to our community."

Program Partners The program's educational model is rooted in hands-on, research-backed learning that engages students both inside and outside the classroom. In addition to introducing STEM and sustainability concepts tied to real-world food systems, the initiative aims to reinforce healthy eating habits, environmental awareness, and self-sufficiency.

For Growums CEO Jim Zanotti, Flint and Martinsburg represent exactly the type of communities the organization hopes to reach.

"When a child grows their own food, something shifts," Zanotti said. "They eat differently, think differently, and see themselves differently. We're honored to bring that experience to 5,000 students this year."

Bosh Bruening, Executive Director of Little Green Thumb Foundation, which supports the educational and curriculum framework behind the initiative, said the partnership model is key to creating lasting impact.

"This is about far more than gardening — it's about science, nutrition, confidence, and self-sufficiency," Bruening said. "By partnering with local organizations like Berston, Cultivating Our Community, and the Martinsburg Roundhouse, we're able to meet students where they are and extend that learning all the way into their homes."

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About America The Beautiful Foundation

America The Beautiful Foundation is a national nonprofit working to renew America's lands, waters, communities, and economy.

The Foundation unites public and private partners across five pillars, each housing several programs:

• GROW — Developing the next generation of stewards through trails, gardening, education, and youth programs

• SAFE — Wildfire early detection and AI-driven emergency response with frontline fire partners

• BLUE IMPACT — Protecting clean water and restoring reefs, shorelines, and coastal ecosystems

• RESTORE — Helping communities prepare for, and recover from, disaster while restoring forests and ecosystems

• POWER AMERICA — Building resilient technology infrastructure
  

As a cornerstone of the nation's 250th anniversary, The Foundation will premiere the America The Beautiful film, narrated by Kelsey Grammer, on Nov. 11, 2026, in IMAX® and giant-screen theaters nationwide - honoring 250 years of American beauty and resilience while inspiring the stewardship of the next 250.

Learn more at www.americathebeautifulfoundation.org. Media, please contact Kelly Ann Collins at kcollins@americathebeautiful.org or (703) 540-9144.