For the Altadena Arts Magnet students, gardening has become a source of comfort and play after the Eaton Fire. Gardening invites students to learn by doing, explore through play, and reconnect with nature in ways that strengthen their overall well-being. As part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Impact Day, PEF and Warner Bros. Discovery partnered to create hands-on outdoor learning areas for Altadena Arts. Paired with Operation Warm’s partner event at Madison, Warner Bros. volunteers gathered to build raised garden beds and refresh existing ones on campus.
Impact Day was truly a collaborative effort. Warner Bros. Discovery volunteers arrived early in the morning to clear space, plan the layout of the new beds, and begin building and preparing the gardening areas. School administration and staff joined in, helping to prepare soil and organize starter plants. Altadena Arts students also came out to work alongside the volunteers, getting their hands dirty and adding their own enthusiasm to the day.
For the students and teachers who are currently displaced from their home campus, these gardens are a welcome sign of recovery. The newly built beds provide a safe, designated outdoor area where students can learn, play, and reconnect with nature. Gardening is also a proven method of learning engagement and stress relief, and many students had been missing this part of their routine. Teachers are eager to bring their classes back outside, using the beds as an outdoor classroom for raising vegetables and native plants.
PEF is deeply grateful to Warner Bros. Discovery for the support provided during Impact Day. As PEF continues expanding School Gardens as part of student health and well-being, projects like this will be valued in our community for years to come.
