Cerritos College would benefit greatly from establishing a fruit and vegetable garden on campus grounds.

A community garden at Cerritos College would bring many benefits to students and staff alike.

It is apparent that health and fitness are both valued aspects at Cerritos College.

Some of the campus’ amenities include a newly-renovated basketball gym, a track to run on, various sports fields and a weight room.

A community garden would make a healthful and highly-beneficial addition to our campus.

Gardening is one of the few things in life that can only bring good to people and to the environment.

According to the American Community Gardening Association there are many reasons why establishing a community garden is a great idea.

Some of the benefits of community gardening include:

-Improvement of the quality of life for people involved

-Stimulation of social interaction

-Production of nutritious food

-Visual appeal

-Opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and health education

-Preservation of green space

-Creates income opportunities and economic development

-Reduction of city heat from streets and parking lots

-Provides opportunities for inter-generational and cross-cultural connections

-There has been research conducted which supports the idea that gardens are therapeutic and stimulating.

According to DuneCraft.com, in children that are growing, gardening produces many benefits like “developing math skills by counting seeds, practicing motor skills through digging and planting, and learning about flowers, herbs and vegetables”.

All people, regardless of age, could benefit from putting their cognitive skills to use through the act of gardening.

Also, according to the same website, there have been studies done in Texas, which showed that “school gardening increased participants’ self-esteem, helped them develop a sense of ownership and responsibility, fostered stronger relationships among family members, and increased parent involvement.”

Although these studies were done primarily involving children, these same effects could also occur in college-aged people.

Who among us does not have memories of bringing back home baby seedlings which were sprouted in kindergarten class?

There is a reason why we were given that opportunity to experience plants and gardening.

We should be offered that same opportunity once again through the implementation of a community garden at Cerritos College in which various ages and ethnic backgrounds can come together and experience nature and get back down to Earth.