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Online Program Teaches Kids To Grow & Eat Their Veggies

MIAMI (CBS4) -- Getting kids interested in vegetables and gardening can be challenging. But thanks to a creative and colorful online program, students at The Overtown Youth Center are not only learning about vegetables, they're learning how to grow their own and eat better.

"I'm growing my basil and my tomato plant," said 8-year-old Kyndal Royal.

He has learned how to grow his own garden at the center thanks to an online program called Growums.

Royal has already learned a lot from the program. "Instead of buying food from the store, I can just get food from the plant," explained Royal.

Michael Ferro created the fun and colorful online program.

"Why don't we teach them to grow healthy vegetables," said Ferro. "With childhood obesity being such a big problem out there, kids not knowing, most kids think their vegetables come from Publix.

Ferro explained the program teaches kids about growing veggies by using cartoons and interactive tools. Kids get little cup like containers equipped with all the tools needed for a garden.

"What they do, is they go online and all of these little characters, is they come to light on the computer and teach them how to grow their vegetables and herbs," said Ferro.

The director of The Overtown Youth Center, Tina Brown said the lessons learned with this new program go beyond the classroom.

"The growums concept really resonated with them and they were really excited about maybe going home to start their own little garden," said Brown.

Growing vegetables at home is satisfying for students learning Growums like little Kymbal.

"I like about it the most, because I get to grow plants inside my backyard," said Kymbal.

If you want to learn more about Growums, just go to www.growums.com.

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