WAYNESBORO, Ga. (AP) - First lady Michelle Obama joined students Thursday to plant a garden at a middle school in east Georgia.
Obama, who visited the Burke County Middle School in Waynesboro accompanied by television personality Al Roker, is on her American Garden Tour, aimed at highlighting the impact and benefits of diverse gardens across the country. Obama also has been running a campaign to encourage people to eat fresh foods, and to promote the study of science, technology engineering and math.
The first lady expressed her appreciation for Burke County’s farm-to-school program, which offers fresh produce from local farmers to students daily.
“Burke County, right here, is a wonderful example of what schools are doing in rural communities and how it’s benefiting,” she said to student cheers.
The first lady also helped plant a garden with students at Philip’s Academy Charter School in Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon.
“We’re making the point that you can garden anywhere. You can even garden in space,” Obama said, noting that on Friday, scientists plan to send seeds to the International Space Station.
Obama said the astronauts at the station will “grow cabbage and some of the stuff that we’re growing in the White House Kitchen Garden, just to prove that you can garden anywhere.”
This week was spring break, but plenty of the students took part in what they called an unforgettable experience.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to meet her,” sixth-grader Glennera Bostic, 12, was quoted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as saying.
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