Fourteen Youth Health Board (YHB) members spent the morning digging, weeding, watering and planting at Beardsley Community Farm on Saturday, Sept. 7. Designed to teach the students about the importance of urban gardening as well as how local, healthy and affordable food is produced, the coordinated volunteer outing is the first of several educational activities planned for this year's YHB.
"The students gained an understanding of the importance of sustainable urban gardening and the positive impact it has on food deserts," said Brook Bock, Knox County Health Department (KCHD) health educator and Youth Health Board co-facilitator. "They truly enjoyed their time at Beardsley Community Farm, and many were asking when they could volunteer there again."
Upcoming YHB events include: participation in the Market Square Farmer's Market and serving as co-presenters of KCHD's Youth Risk Behavior Survey data release at Gresham Middle School.
A collaborative effort between KCHD and Coordinated School Health, the YHB serves as a forum for youth to affect the wellbeing of our community through programs, volunteer activities and health-related projects. This youth-driven group provides opportunities for students to partner with health professionals from KCHD and other community groups to explore and take action on a variety of health issues. The members are selected from an applicant pool of high school students who demonstrate strong leadership skills, a commitment to the community and an interest in health-related topics.
