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Crenshaw High School students cultivate a quarter-acre garden as a non-profit business RELATED VIDEO CNN's Jennifer Auther talks with the kids and their leaders Windows Media 28K 56K

In this story:

• Harvesting college educations
• 'It's a safe haven'
• Related stories and sites

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- The 1992 riots in Los Angeles inspired students at one high school to get to the roots of the problem.

The rioting, sparked by the initial acquittal of white police officers who were videotaped beating a black man, Rodney King, left the city feeling dazed and divided -- both racially and economically.

Crenshaw High School students decided to break ground on an enterprising project six years ago, to try to heal the wounds. They turned a tiny plot of land behind the school's football field into a garden.

Today the quarter-acre garden has evolved into a $250,000 a year, non-profit salad dressing business with products on the shelves of 2,000 grocery and natural food stores.

Harvesting college educations

The student-owned business, called "Food from the Hood," expanded beyond the small garden and now pays local farmers to harvest produce for the salad dressing. The students contracted a salad dressing packer to bottle their creamy Italian and honey mustard formulas.

The salad dressing is sold in grocery and natural food stores

They also branched out into a franchise in New York that sells applesauce.

Fifty percent of the proceeds go back into the student business, while the other half goes into a scholarship fund for the students.

"I'm going to Southern University in Baton Rouge," said Erech Nicholson, one of the Food from the Hood participants.

On the average, the students earn between $2,000 and $3,000 for their college funds. To date, the project has raised more than $120,000 for college expenses.

'It's a safe haven'

The project's garden and business center holds the attention of many students who do not thrive in a traditional classroom setting. Those who might have joined a gang for a sense a belonging now find themselves hanging out at the project's headquarters, enjoying the camaraderie while running their own business.

"It's a safe haven," said Tammy Bird, a science teacher and co-founder of the project. "It's a place for them to do their homework. It's place to do college preparatory. It's a place to do their business and pick up entrepreneurial skills."

For participant Abraham Herrera Jr., it's also a place for interpersonal growth.

"Be respectful to everybody -- that's what I learned," he said.

Correspondent Jennifer Auther contributed to this report.