EXCEEDING BENCHMARKS TOGETHER Inc.
The Green Reentry Program for Court-Involved Youth supports successful reintegration into schools and communities for youth exiting juvenile detention or navigating court involvement. This program provides holistic support through mentorship, career readiness, and trauma-informed academic support. Participants receive guidance in building life skills and developing positive coping strategies while gaining access to sustainability practices and vocational training.
Research by Briggs R., Morris P.G., and Rees K. highlights the power of group-based gardening interventions to improve well-being and reduce symptoms of mental illness. For justice-involved youth, engaging in community gardening, has been shown to reduce recidivism and foster a lasting sense of responsibility and connection.
Through this hands-on experience, youth cultivate not only gardens but also self-confidence, teamwork, and a deeper bond with their community. We provide a restorative pathway forward—turning challenges into opportunities for growth and transformation.
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Green Futures is a dynamic, hands-on agricultural education program designed for students across all grade levels—from elementary through high school. The program brings sustainability, science, and community engagement to life through school-based composting systems and farm plots. It fosters curiosity, environmental stewardship, and real-world learning through the lens of food justice, climate awareness, and healthy living.
At the heart of the program is a comprehensive composting curriculum, where students learn the science of decomposition, soil health, and waste reduction. Compost bins are maintained on school grounds, giving students the opportunity to transform lunch scraps and garden waste into rich, usable soil. This process encourages responsibility and reinforces STEM concepts like biology, chemistry, and data tracking.
Students also participate in seasonal farming activities, including planting, harvesting, and caring for a wide variety of crops. By working in raised beds, greenhouse spaces, or garden towers, they gain an understanding of food systems, nutrition, and the labor involved in sustainable farming. Older students can engage in project-based learning tied to entrepreneurship, community service, and food access, while younger students explore nature, teamwork, and basic ecology.
Green Futures not only enhances academic learning—it creates a shared space where youth across grade levels can develop leadership skills, mindfulness, and pride in cultivating something from the ground up.
