The Growing Minds Education Fund
Helping young people grow, learn and connect
Food has a unique way of bringing learning to life. A school garden can become a science lesson, a shared meal can build community, and a child pulling a carrot from the ground for the first time can begin to understand their connection to the land, their health and the people around them.
Mountain Roots launched the Growing Minds Education Fund in 2026 to ensure that hands-on food and environmental education continues to thrive for young people across the Gunnison Valley.
The Fund supports programs that connect students to food, land, agriculture, nutrition and community through meaningful, real-world experiences.
What the Fund Supports
The Growing Minds Education Fund helps support:
Farm to School education programming
Living Classroom school gardens at Crested Butte and Gunnison Elementary Schools
School garden infrastructure, tools and long-term stewardship
Environmental and nutrition education programs
Youth culinary and food literacy experiences
Professional development for educators and emerging environmental professionals
Scholarships that help ensure equitable access to Mountain Roots youth programs
When young people are given opportunities to grow food, cook meals, explore the outdoors and care for their community, they gain more than knowledge. They develop confidence, curiosity, responsibility and a deeper sense of belonging to the place they call home.
Inspired by Sally Hensley
The Growing Minds Education Fund was established in honor of Sally Hensley and her lifelong commitment to youth education and community wellbeing.
For decades, Sally has helped create the conditions for meaningful learning experiences to flourish for children and families across the Gunnison Valley. From her early work in childhood education to her years serving as principal at both Gunnison and Crested Butte Elementary Schools, Sally created learning environments where children could thrive academically and grow as whole people.
She understood that meaningful education begins with curiosity, belonging, encouragement and care. That philosophy made Sally a natural partner in the work of Mountain Roots.
By fostering partnerships with organizations like Mountain Roots, Sally helped create opportunities for students to garden, cook, explore outdoors and learn by doing. She understood that hands-on experiences can leave a lasting impression on young people.
Sally also recognized the important connection between healthy food, student wellbeing and a child’s ability to learn. She understood that food insecurity is often quiet and deeply personal, and she consistently led with compassion, dignity and genuine care for students and families navigating those challenges.
In school gardens and outdoor classrooms, Sally saw more than educational tools. She saw places where children could build confidence, discover responsibility, experience joy and understand their relationship to the natural world and the community around them.
Reflecting on the future she hopes for young people in the Gunnison Valley, Sally shared:
“I want these students to value themselves and value their natural environment, and take care of both.”
Honoring a Lasting Legacy
Mountain Roots was proud to recognize Sally as the 2026 Feast in the Field Community Honoree for her extraordinary leadership in youth education and the lasting impact she has had on generations of local students.
The Growing Minds Education Fund carries that legacy forward by helping more young people build healthy, meaningful connections to food, the land and their community.
By supporting the Fund, you are helping create opportunities for the next generation to learn, grow and discover their place within the Gunnison Valley.