Rialto Unified Opens $8 Million Healing Garden for Student Wellness, Outdoor Learning

A property once covered with weeds has been transformed into an approximately $8 million educational and wellness space where Rialto Unified School District students can learn about native plants, environmental science and the connections between nature and mental health.

District leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, July 30, for the International Healing Garden, located at 2235 W. Buena Vista Drive across from Kucera Middle School. Attendees included the entire Rialto Unified Board of Education, state Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. and Rialto Mayor Joe Baca Sr.

Superintendent Dr. Alejandro Álvarez said the garden had been under development for more than five years and was made possible through contributions from local, state and federal partners, along with a major financial commitment from the district.

The project received $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding through a collaboration involving Baca, Rialto Unified and the office of Rep. Pete Aguilar. Gómez Reyes also helped secure $1 million through the California state budget while serving in the Assembly. District funding accounted for an estimated additional $5 million, bringing the project’s overall cost to about $8 million, Álvarez said.

The district already owned the property, which was not large enough to accommodate another school campus. Before construction, Álvarez said, the site contained no buildings or other facilities.

“All this was just an empty lot with weeds growing,” Álvarez said. “There was no building, no structure.”

The completed garden includes instructional spaces, walking areas, restrooms, landscaping and sections featuring plants associated with different ecosystems. Álvarez said it will give students an opportunity to step away from classroom screens and participate in more hands-on lessons.

“This is really an opportunity to get them outside the classroom, outside the setting, to get more hands-on interactions with our students,” Álvarez said. He added that students will be able to learn about local plants, California history and vegetation while engaging with the natural environment.

Juanita Chan-Roden, Rialto Unified’s director of science and career programs, led attendees through areas representing native grasslands and desert environments. She said the garden can help students understand tree-canopy coverage, climate resilience, carbon sequestration, biodiversity and the distinguishing characteristics of native plants.

Chan-Roden highlighted yarrow, a native flowering plant traditionally used by Indigenous communities, including the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, for medicinal purposes. She explained that leaves from the plant were used to create poultices that could help stop bleeding and support wound healing.

The garden also features native grasses, monkey flowers, sage, ephedra and desert plants. Chan-Roden said monkey flowers could connect to genetics instruction through the district’s partnership with Cal Poly Pomona, while the birds already visiting the property offer another avenue for scientific observation.

“We’re already noticing that the native bird populations are really enjoying this space,” Chan-Roden said, adding that the activity creates opportunities to introduce students to ornithology and examine bird populations as a measure of biodiversity.

District officials spent the end of the previous school year and the summer developing a plan for student access. Schools will be able to schedule visits, and the district has worked on curriculum connected to the garden’s plants and environmental features.

Álvarez said the space could be especially valuable for special education classes and students who feel overwhelmed in a traditional school environment. Although every district campus has a wellness center, he said, the garden provides an additional setting where students can learn, reflect and receive support.

“If students aren’t mentally well in the classroom, they’re not going to learn,” Álvarez said. “Whatever is happening at home or in their personal lives, whatever that roadblock is, the mental support we provide is going to be significant to ensure that they’re in the classrooms learning.”

Baca Jr. called the garden an example of what coordinated public investment can accomplish.

“This project is a direct representation of what we can achieve for our local communities when federal, state, and local leaders come together,” Baca said. He congratulated the Board of Education and Álvarez while recognizing the district’s commitment to student success, environmental wellness and outdoor instruction.

The district plans to add features, including awnings for outdoor classroom areas, as it expands use of the site. Officials also hope to eventually partner with the city to make the garden available to the broader community.

The opening comes as Álvarez begins his first full school year leading Rialto Unified. He said the district’s “You Belong Here” initiative will focus on ensuring students, families and employees feel connected to their schools.

“Academics is key, but once again, if people don’t feel they belong here, if our students don’t feel a sense of belonging, they’re not going to learn,” Álvarez said.

Rialto Unified‘s first day of the 2026/27 academic year is on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026.