The orchards of the 317 VPO of Loma Colmenar They have opened their doors to a group of 60 schoolchildren from the Reina SofÃa School, who have transformed this space into a true open-air classroom, an example of school gardens and educationIn a close and practical environment, the students have approached urban agriculture with an activity designed to connect with nature and promote environmental values ​​from an early age.
The event was organized by the organization. Allotments and Urban Plots City of Ceuta in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Urban Services and Housing, and was attended by First Vice President, Alejandro RamÃrez, and of the Director General of Urban Services, Tamara Guerrero, who wanted to accompany the students and the teaching staff.
A practical day in the garden: from theory to the soil
The beginning of the experience focused on a clear and tailored explanation about him planting process, the basic rules of work and respect for the rhythms of the garden, with simple guidelines to understand how a planting is organized and why it is essential to take care of the soil.
Next, the students were divided into groups and, under technical supervision, He prepared the land and planted potatoes in a scholar Orchard with age-appropriate tools. The support of the specialized staff from Urban Gardens and Plots ensured a safe, participatory, and highly tangible experience.
Beyond the hands-on aspect, the goal was for the boys and girls to understand the crop cycleWhere our food comes from, what care it requires, and how much patience is needed until harvest. A way to highlight the effort behind every food item.
After the planting was completed, a space was set up for observation and reflection in which the students shared what they had learned, recorded their feelings, and resolved doubts. The session ended with a cleaning the work areareinforcing the idea of ​​responsibility and care for the common environment.
A sustained educational commitment with institutional support
The activity reaffirms the collaboration between the City and the entity that manages these urban gardensan alliance aimed at promoting a stable environmental education program that brings the natural environment closer to the classroom and encourages the participation of the school community.
Among the project's goals are promoting the sustainability, daily contact with nature and the adoption of Healthy lifestyle habitsusing gardens as a pedagogical resource to work on scientific, social and civic skills.
The Ministry emphasizes that this line of work is part of the municipal educational actions, with new proposals planned to reinforce content such as organic farming, responsible consumption, biodiversity and efficient water management.
The design of the sessions takes into account the age and needs of the students: adapted tools, practical explanations and school garden activities and constant support from teaching teams and technical staff, in order to guarantee a safe, motivating and accessible experience.
The initiative consolidates the allotments of the 317 subsidized housing units as a green space with an educational purpose, aligned with current trends. outdoor learning which extend across various cities in Spain and Europe. Thus, Ceuta reinforces a model of environmental education that is accessible, useful, and has a social impact.
With initiatives like this, urban gardens are becoming established as tools for learning by doing: they bring agriculture closer to schools, promote community, and create links with the territoryall of this driven by a network of collaboration between administration, educational centers and local entities who is already working on upcoming activities.
