On a beautiful summer day, a group of rising third-graders gathered in the Columbia Heights Public Schools’ fruit and vegetable garden. Blooming Heights Edible Schoolyard, a districtwide teaching garden between a cluster of Columbia Heights school buildings, is a highlight of many students’ summer learning experience in the summer Encore program. She stressed that the program is not what families might typically think of as summer school: it’s geared towards fun. Some school staff have said Columbia Heights students will need months or years to heal from their experiences this winter. The garden also provides job opportunities for high school students, funded through a partnership with Anoka County.