Arkles C. Brooks III (Ark-Angel)
Master Gardener, Young Gardener's Program

Arkles Brooks has recently joined the Saving the West Foundation team, where he teaches Master Gardening Techniques and Permaculture principles for the Young Gardener’s Program. Brooks also teaches at Castelar Middle School as a Substitute and supports outreach efforts in underrepresented communities primarily with Seeds of Carver Urban Garden and his Non-for-profit organization, Seed to Flower.
Ark’s introduction to urban gardening began when he met his gardening mentor when he was only 14 years of age, Mr. Wright.  Under Wrights tutelage, Brooks developed an outstanding urban garden that produced hundreds of pumpkins and beans and large crops of greens that were distributed through the church to many families.  Empowered by this, Ark continued to garden and feed people with food he grew throughout his college years while obtaining advanced degrees. On the spiritual side, Ark studied Tai Chi and Chi Gong and many other spiritual disciplines and learned to relate them to enhance gardening practices. Brooks also practices Kriya Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, Shaolin Kung-fu, Transcendental Meditation, Reiki and other healing arts and teaches Chi Gong to both children and adults.