Independence Gardens A Passion Project

A Passion Project INDEPENDENCE GARDENS

by Brooke Ezzo | photos courtesy of Chonnie Richey

Castle Hills resident Chonnie Richey is a triple threat when it comes to educating our youth and combating the disconnect between children and their food. Pilipino by birth, fresh food is intrinsic in everything she does.

She has marketing experience with the American Heart Association, and her mother has over 25 years of care as a pediatric doctor. This combination has helped Chonnie launch a successful and fast-growing organization that helps educate and feed many children across the district. And soon enough, across state lines.

As the story goes, Chonnie had lunch with her daughter, Sofia, years ago in her daughter and other children around

them picked at their food and threw most of it away. Curious, Chonnie inspected the food and decided it was not as tasty, nutritious, and fresh as she hoped it would be.

After doing research and learning that 1 in 3 children in Texas are obese and that millions of people live in areas where healthy food is a limited option, the school cafeteria and noticed that

a light bulb went off. And just like that, Independence Gardens was born.

“How do we expect our children to succeed when most of them are not eating food that should be fueling their day?” Chonnie questioned. “As PTA president at the time, I brought up the fact that we had a real opportunity here to really connect kids to food and help them make healthier food choices.”

Community gardens are not a new thing, but she wanted to take it up a notch. She wanted to create a robust, interactive outdoor learning space and school garden where kids can learn leadership and nutrition as an extension of what they were already doing in school. “If you are already teaching children how to grow a pea in a cup and having them research parts of a plant on an iPad, why not bring them outside and have them grow it in the garden?” Chonnie said. “I pitched the idea and it caught on.”

Independence Gardens is named after its namesake homeschool — Independence Elementary, where the first outdoor learning space was created. This gave over 800 children the opportunity to learn about food education.

“We incorporate organic practices and sustainability,” Chonnie said. “Wicking beds, square foot gardening, composting, recycling, and companion planting.”

Chonnie wanted a 360-degree view of connecting kids to their food. After the kids planted, watched it grow, and then harvested, it was time to learn how to cook it.

Under the umbrella of Chef Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Independence Gardens launched a one-day, once a year, districtwide, accredited curriculum-based cooking program called Come and EAT It!

“The kids loved it because they made it. They had fun and got to play with food,” Chonnie said. “The program includes a math component, a social studies component, and a leadership component on top of the food nutrition.”

Years after its inception, Independence Gardens has expanded throughout Lewisville ISD, created partnerships with food distributors to help bring healthier options to school cafeterias, and has plans to build bigger and better gardens all over the nation.

“Cooking is a messy science project. Treat it as a learning opportunity,” Chonnie said. “Not only is this a great way for children to have accountability and connect with their food, but it’s a great way for parents to connect with their kids.”