The Seed to Table program began in the fall of 2006 at the Early Childhood Center. Linda Henke, district superintendent, and Debi Gbison, Diretor of Seed to Table, have been the guiding forces behind the program. Debi takes the ECC students on a year-long journey and gives them the gebinnings of a life-long appreciation for nature and a sound nutritional foundation.

St. Louis University interns and graduate students, under the guidance of Millie Mattfield-Berman, Dean of Nutrition at SLU, drop in for mini nutrition and gardening lessons during the school year and to speak with the students on various nutrition topics.

In May of 2008, parent and Health Literacy Specialist from SLU, David Pole, wrote and received a large grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. This grant allowed the Seed to Table program to expand to both the middle and elementary schools. Through the grant, MRH schools are to be a model program for the Missouri Foundation for Health.

In 2009, MRH added to the project staff with a garden coordinator at the elementary and middle schools. Carrie Evans is the project coordinator at the middle school and Beverly Brandt is at the elementary school. Having a gardening staff of three is unprecedented in St. Louis County schools and ahead of the curve!

The ECC has now completed the third year of successfully incorporating the Seed to Table program into the curriculum. All students from pre-Kindergarten through 1st grade attend weekly garden and nutrition classes. At the elementary school, the garden is a part of a regular rotation for the 6th grade students. The garden is also a part of the inquiry and literacy units and is a valuable hands-on portion of the curriculum. At the middle school, the garden provides a place for students to study science and math. There is also an after-school garden and culinary club in which students use the garden harvest to create healthy and great-tasting meals.