Golden Charter Academy unveils new community garden in Central Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's an ode to history while sowing seeds of the future.

The famous words of George Washington Carver were brought to life as students at Golden Charter Academy unveiled the community garden named after the agricultural scientist.

"I love the work that's being done here, I love the intentionality purpose and possibility," Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce CEO Dr. Cassandra Little says.

In partnership with the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of commerce -- former NFL player and Edison High Grad, Robert Golden, introduced the new hands-on learning experience for students in TK to 8th grade.

The George Washington Carver Community Garden exposes students to the world of agriculture while doubling as a classroom.

"Those are some of the things that a lot of urban city children don't get the opportunities to do," Golden Charter Academy CEO Robert Golden says. "They'll be growing vegetables planting flowers planting trees."

In tune with the school's environmental education strategies, the space allows them to curate and connect while experiencing nature, plants and pollinators -- something they got to see first-hand.

"It also serves as a Zen yard for our students that's going to bring a lot of peace to them," Golden says.

The school is focused on the three core values, Stewardship, Equity & Access and the mission to "Inspire Powerful Young Minds". The model was created in 2009 and the school opened its doors in 2021 with growing interest surrounding its mission to expose the children of Fresno to a new world of opportunities.

"We've been at max capacity for the school year with a growing waiting list but that waiting list is opening up for the next school year," Golden says.

Open enrollment is happening now through March 1 and the school is recruiting for TK and kindergarten.

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