To create learning gardens that grow successful students. Through school-based outdoor classrooms and standards-based teacher training, we help schools boost children’s academic achievement; promote healthy lifestyles; develop pro-social skills; and grow into good environmental stewards.

REAL School Gardens was founded in 2003 by a group of educators interested in utilizing the outdoors to engage children in learning, particularly those students deemed "at risk” of lagging academic achievement and higher rates of obesity. REAL School Gardens partners with high-poverty elementary schools to create learning gardens that become an integral part of their teaching culture and community.

We support the design and installation of school gardens, train teachers to use the gardens to improve children’s learning and build community around them to nurture support for urban schools. When teachers take learning outdoors, children achieve greater success in school by becoming more engaged learners, more effective team members and also healthier people.