Many Santa Barbara High students do not even know of the school garden’s existence. After all, unless they are a part of the Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA), people rarely have an opportunity to pass by. Even so, observers only get a glimpse of what goes on in the garden. 

Originally a flat, unremarkable parking lot, the area is now green and sprouting with vegetation. While impressive, it remains a humble space, meant only for the workers there: the garden does not need or demand attention.

Jose Caballero is well known on campus for his Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) and Organic Gardening classes. In gardening, he often pushes the boundaries of what’s considered conventional in a high school course. 

Caballero has been teaching since 2002, after gaining his teaching credentials from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).  He had once considered pursuing a doctoral degree in evolutionary biology at the University of British Columbia in Canada, but ended up declining the offer due to personal reasons. 

Teaching is not a “one-day thing” for him; environmental science has been his life’s work. 

About two decades ago, Caballero began the garden at SBHS under the employment of a nonprofit organization. Funded by a federal grant, he began the environmental education program the nonprofit sought to create. Everything besides the garden came later: while creating the two classes, he worked solely inside of the garden. 

Organic Gardening is not one’s traditional, lecture-heavy class: it was intentionally designed to be “anti-school.” There are no assignments or tests, and everything is graded solely on attendance. Projects are done with minimum guidance: they are either done solo, or with a group of peers. All sorts of “odd jobs” are done in class, from turning compost to cutting cantaloupes. 

While taking courses like math or history, students might ask themselves, “When am I ever going to use this in the real world?” However, in gardening, teens seldom must contemplate this question. Everyone should know how to feed themselves, how to use a tool; without these skills, how can someone live independently? 

Beyond the practical applications and skill sets, however, the class allows students to feel a simple sense of accomplishment and appreciation for their own labor. The saying, ‘you reap what you sow,’ rings especially true for the garden. From start to finish, every seed is turned into food. There are no moments where all the hard work goes unrewarded. 

Students often flit around like worker bees, off to complete their next assignment. Behind this is Caballero, organizing and directing each person or group of people. He does not do the transplanting himself: at the most, he is doing demonstrations. Instead, he dedicates most of his time to guiding students, or working on separate projects. 

Caballero has been in management roles since he was a junior in high school. It is a skill that he has a natural affinity for, due to his large stature, assertiveness, and ability to juggle many thoughts at once. These factors, along with his extensive experience, make him an excellent leader and organizer. 

“[The garden]’s not a mystery to me. I don’t know how it’s gonna turn out, but I know what the goals are and I do have a vision there,” Caballero said. “One thing about management is that you have an umbrella topic, you focus on individual people, and then you step back,” he commented. 

This management style allows him to maintain a good work flow with students. He often multi-tasks, switching to different groups and different mindsets without much difficulty. 

Each month, Caballero organizes a breakfast for his students. It is a massive feast, and a culmination of everything the garden stands for. All contribute to the breakfast in some way, whether it be through buying, slicing, cooking, or washing. At the end of the period, everyone sits down and eats a wonderful meal, prepared entirely by themselves. 

Gardening teaches teenagers to take that next step in personal responsibility and independence. When assigned to a task, it is their duty to carry it out properly; if not, they face consequences for it. Mistakes are acceptable, but a lack of diligence is not. Every person is in charge of themselves, and possibly others. Students are not merely learning how to garden, but also are learning how to perform and lead. 

Some form close relationships to Caballero. They are willing to make significant commitments and contributions to his work. They take the class for consecutive years, show up for period zero, or stay until nighttime to process fish. Even without performing grand gestures, students hold great respect and admiration for Caballero. He teaches skills and values that can be remembered for a lifetime. 

“If I was trying to change what people think, it would not be so successful,” Caballero said. “I fell into a topic that is itself a good sales pitch. I think that this content is self-evident; everybody that walks by thinks the garden is nice.” 

He does not work well with students who “don’t want to be there.” Gardening especially is a class that depends on whether or not a person enjoys this type of class, where physical labor is frequent. In a sense, he is a rather traditional, old-school teacher: in APES, he lectures and writes on the board, and in gardening, he directs others. His relatability and genuine interest in the subject is what makes him distinct from other traditional teachers.

Personally, Caballero has always been invested in both environmental science and horticulture. Environmental science will always stay relevant to our world, due to how readily it overlaps with other fields and fundamentally supports our wellbeing. He strongly believes people should be informed about current issues like climate change and sustainability, as well as possible solutions to them. 

For teenagers interested in the subject, he encourages them to focus on the broader picture and connect it to other subjects like engineering, economics, or even journalism. 

Caballero values a single quality in his pupils: “I think the only thing I want from my students is to just try to do this thing that we’re all here for, you know?” Caballero said. “How they come out, I kind of feel like whatever they do is great.”  

“I kind of want my students to just survive this really delicate time,” he added. “Don’t be miserable and go to a school that sounds like a good title. Don’t get a degree that sounds like that’s gonna somehow give you a job. Try to be a healthy, happy, whole person; just be well, however you can be.” 

Regardless of other demands and concerns, one’s health and wellbeing must be their number one priority: though simplistic in message, it is imperative that one be well, especially for teenagers, who are often in a time of uncertainty or distress. 

He added that especially for young people, they should try not to focus on single goals or results. “Don’t just go to Harvard, don’t just graduate, and don’t just get a girlfriend; I think trying to have a good balance is important,” Caballero said. 

Caballero invites students to take his courses, and implores people to not take from the garden, as it is a space solely for students. 

After years of life experience and dedication, Caballero has entered into a stage of generativity: the willingness to pass down one’s knowledge to the younger generations. Besides the technical components of education, he has many stories to tell and morals to impart.  

“It’s really not about me; it’s about the topic I teach, in the place I teach. I’m super lucky to be here,” he commented. Caballero has been an incredibly engaging and industrious teacher in his 22 years of teaching at Santa Barbara High, and The Forge hopes the remainder of his time spent on campus will continue to be fulfilling and gratifying for him.

Light shines over a green and fruitful garden as students carry out work in the background. [Image Credit: Michelle Wang]