A long-standing partnership between the National School District and Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center has earned statewide recognition for its innovative approach to climate education, nutrition, and student wellness. The collaboration was recently honored with a California School Boards Association (CSBA) Golden Bell Award in the “Climate Change Innovation” category, spotlighting a program that has quietly grown alongside generations of students for more than 15 years.
The partnership began in 2010 with Olivewood Gardens’ Children’s Field Trip Program, which brought National School District students to the nonprofit’s garden campus for hands-on lessons in science, nutrition, and environmental awareness. What started as an enrichment opportunity gradually evolved into a deeply integrated, districtwide model rooted in trust, consistency, and community needs.
“Over time, this relationship grew through shared goals and a commitment to needs-based education,” said Jen Nation, executive director at Olivewood Gardens. “By 2025, the program had expanded into a comprehensive model that reaches every school in the district.”
Today, Olivewood Gardens operates and maintains gardens at all 10 National School District schools. Programming spans the school day, after-school enrichment, and off-campus field trips, with all fourth-grade students visiting Olivewood Gardens three times during the academic year. The program also includes a hydroponics after-school initiative and Kitchenista® presentations designed to engage parents and caregivers.
Climate-change concepts are woven directly into everyday experiences, connecting global issues to students’ lives through food, water, soil, and health. Lessons align with the district’s commitment to the United Nations Global Goal of Climate Action, translating abstract environmental concepts into tangible actions such as planting, composting, harvesting, and cooking.
“Students don’t just learn about climate change in theory,” Nation said. “They experience climate action by caring for gardens, understanding food systems, and making healthier choices.”
Each year, Olivewood Gardens delivers a three-lesson garden-based curriculum to all 3,679 TK–6th-grade students in the district, along with a three-part field trip experience for 633 fourth graders. The organization also harvests more than 1,150 pounds of fresh produce annually from school gardens, reinforcing lessons about nutrition and sustainability.
This year, the partnership expanded further with a seven-week after-school hydroponics and cooking program for students in grades three through six. Teachers and families report increased student confidence in trying new vegetables, preparing recipes at home, and asking questions about where food comes from — early indicators of growing environmental stewardship.
Nation credits the partnership’s longevity to open communication, flexibility, and a shared mission. “This work integrates science, math, nutrition, and environmental learning, while also reinforcing lessons at home,” she said. “That alignment has sustained the partnership for 15 years.”
Receiving the Golden Bell Award affirms the collaboration as a model for community-centered education and opens the door for future growth. “It shows what’s possible when school districts and community organizations commit to supporting the whole child,” Nation said.
Her advice to other districts is simple: start with trust, patience, and shared values. “Strong partnerships take time,” she said. “But when there’s a shared vision for a healthy, sustainable future, the impact can last for generations.”
