Angie Mrva, the "Garden Nana," lovingly tends to eager first-graders like fresh green shoots. She knows they'll grow rapidly and, with a little care and nourishment, blossom to be their best.

Like other "Nanas" at Lakeview Elementary School in El Dorado Hills, Mrva aids teachers in many ways. On a typical day, she reads to scores of children and coaxes young artists to think outside the lines.

But most of all, Mrva attracts kids to the school's new vegetable garden, where they learn an assortment of life skills and develop a taste for cucumbers and tomatoes.

"I've wanted a school garden since I first set my foot on the ground here," said principal Judy Chance, now in her sixth year at Lakeview. "It's so wonderful for the children, wonderful for the community. You can see the enthusiasm."

Since the garden's start in May, the children have taken hands-on roles. Fourth- and fifth-graders designed the garden. With plastic pails and little trowels, students of all ages moved a mountain of compost to fill seven raised boxes. They planted seeds, watched them sprout and watered with care.

Now, they're harvesting the fruit of their learning.

"Remember: Twist, don't pull," Mrva instructed her eager harvesters as they clutched baskets awaiting their bounty. "If you have to pull the tomato, it's not ripe."

Through Lakeview's Nana program, about a dozen seniors help out at the school. In the garden or the classroom, these grandmothers are growing healthy kids.

"All the helpers are called Nana," Mrva explained of the grandmotherly nickname. "I'm the Garden Nana, and I'm hoping to recruit more."

It's an innovative way to get more community involvement in the school's garden and other programs. And the kids and teachers love the idea.

"They launched (the garden) to heights we could only dream," said Carmen Reed, president of Lakeview's parent-teacher organization. "A garden in itself is wonderful, but our vision is to help the classroom environment. We're already seeing teachers bringing kids out here for reading and other lessons."

In the last few years, several local schools have started gardens as "life labs," where students can learn how things grow and where food comes from.

"We live in California," Reed added. "What better example of our state's contribution to the world's food supply? It makes a wonderful connection."

But in times of school budget cuts, funding has to be innovative. Lakeview's garden was paid for by grants and contributions from several sources including Mercy Hospital of Folsom's Growing Well program. Other benefactors include Intel, El Dorado Disposal, the Rotary Club of El Dorado Hills, the school's PTO and local Boy Scouts.

Retired from a state career, Mrva (pronounced MIR-vah) devoted herself to gardening and children.

"I've always gardened and, when I retired 10 years ago, I was looking for an opportunity to work with little ones," she explained while surrounded by first-graders. "Now, I get to do my gardening here with them."

There are constant challenges, from garden-variety pests to overeager tomato pickers. The children can only pick what they'll eat during snack time.

"So many children want to be out here," Mrva noted. "The biggest challenge is organization so all the kids can take part without falling all over each other."

The best part?

"Seeing their enthusiasm," Mrva said.

One first-grader picked an Armenian cucumber almost as long as her arm and announced it as her snack. After tenderly washing her prize, she took several big bites.

Dylan Tsoi, age 6, showed off a handful of just-picked cherry tomatoes with a broad smile.

"I used to not like these, but I kind of like them now," he said with a giggle.

"See?" Mrva said. "That's why I do this, for moments like that. All of a sudden, they like things they didn't like before."

First-grade teacher Cheryl Fechner is credited with nourishing the Nana program. Each morning, she takes her class out for learning amid the garden beds.

"This is my first-ever garden," Fechner said. "I'm learning right along with the children.

"There's so many things you can do with an outdoor classroom," she added. "It really stimulates the senses. You can feel the difference when you come into this space. Smell that basil. See the butterflies. It's an absolutely fabulous place."

Several families and Nana Angie helped keep the garden going through the summer. With a September bounty, Lakeview recently started a school-only farmers market. For its debut, the students harvested three large bins of potatoes plus bushels of squash, corn, pumpkins, tomatoes and much more. The kids made sure their parents came to buy.

"We sold out in 15 minutes," Chance said. "The children were so excited. They knew what they wanted."

The market will become a Friday fixture; proceeds will be used to keep the garden and Nanas going.

This month the school plans a Nana Tea to welcome more volunteers.

"They're all hand-picked special volunteers," Fechner said of the Nanas. "We're very careful with selecting and screening our Nanas. We realize not just anybody can be a Nana."

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