Sabrina Clark is the winner of the art contest conducted by Symmetry Care. The contest was to create a sign that will be used to identify the “Spaghetti Garden,” which is part of the “Growing Healthy Kids” summer program held at Slater Elementary School. In the garden, the children will grow everything to make homemade spaghetti sauce. The children will make and preserve the spaghetti sauce with the help of the Harney-OSU extension staff.

Three students from Burns High School, Brittany Arrien, Clark, and Ilexys Graf entered the contest. Because the sign will be housed at Slater School, the Slater students were given the opportunity to vote for the art that they liked best. Gallery 15 donated $25 to give as a prize for the winner, and Symmetry Care donated a small art set for each of the contestants.

Growing Healthy Kids is a program funded by donations from Harney’s Local Community Action Council, A Garden for Every School Initiative through the Environmental Center in Bend, Harney Partners for Kids and Families, Harney District Hospital, Symmetry Care, and several local residents.

The program not only teaches children how to grow their own garden, but also gives them an opportunity to connect to the garden through art, science, cooking, and nutrition classes. There is also a game time to provide a fun way to keep the kids active during the summer.

Local businesses and residents also helped with the project. ACW moved the shed to the site from the high school for free and donated compost for the garden. Kathy Kimzoff with Oregon Bright Side Flowers and Kylee Jenson with the Burns High School FFA both donated plants for the garden. Susan Doverspike donated many truck loads of dirt for the vegetable beds, and Obsidian Ridge staff assisted in putting up the fence.

Growing Healthy Kids summer program is designed for first through eighth graders, but younger children are welcome with the supervision of a caregiver. Local residents are encouraged to volunteer. Whether you enjoy gardening, art, science, cooking, biking, playing games, or just being with children, the organizers would love to have you as part of their team, helping children make healthy living part of their lifestyle.

Growing Healthy Kids is held from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday at Slater Elementary School. On Fridays, a healthy cooking class is offered at Symmetry Care beginning at 10 a.m. The summer lunch program at Slater provides lunch from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. for all children who wish to participate.