Social and emotional learning in the garden

Cambridge does great work addressing the needs of students beyond the classroom. This morning WBUR profiled a young person who has received an amazing level of support from the Cambridge Safety Net Collaborative:

Morris follows the social work model, tracking Deven?s ups and downs. After he was sent to the hospital and diagnosed with depression and anxiety, she pulled at least half a dozen agencies into his case management plan...

In Deven?s case, Officer Morris put his mom, Deborah DuPont, in touch with an agency that provides in-home counseling and help organizing all the appointments Deven would need. Deven started regular visits with a mentor. This past summer, Deven?s mom and his team kept him busy with tutoring, a running club, a community garden and a basketball team. In August, he joined a Pop Warner football team.

We are proud that the CitySprouts Summer Youth Program could be part of Deven's journey. We know that the school garden can be a powerful tool in children's social and emotional learning. To see how teachers use the garden to promote students' wellbeing, check out this webinar on restorative gardening led by CitySprouts partner teachers.