Garden Classrooms

Bennett-Hemenway Elementary School

Our garden was started 3 years ago by 2 moms that wanted to educate our students on where food comes from and how to eat healthy. In those 3 years, the garden has grown from 1 bed to 10 raised beds, 2 flower gardens and a raspberry patch. Our goal this year is to further grow the garden to include a year-round greenhouse to help the students further their knowledge of plant lifecycles and give our teachers a year-round classroom devoted to plants and their importance in the everyday lives of our students.

Virginia Chance School

With the help of a grant and community donations, our school was able to build a hoop house that will enable us to grow fruits and vegetables year round. We are requesting a Whole Kids Garden Grant to plant a variety of vegetables, fruit bearing trees and shrubs in and around the greenhouse to enhance experiential learning while promoting healthy, locally grown foods and supporting biodiversity.

Benchmark Elementary School

The goal of the Benchmark School Garden is to revitalize the aging Garden with a new watering system, removable shade structures, and even add additional beds to the area in order to increase produce levels. In addition, the kids are hoping to set aside area for "pollinator plants" as the students are very aware of why pollinators are so vital to our food supply since the addition of the amazing honey bee observation hive in the Living Science Building next to the Garden. The school would utilize the grant funds as a catalyst for more community and family focused programs in the Garden.

Eastdale Collegiate Institute

FoodShare has successfully transformed a 16,000sq ft school rooftop at Eastdale CI into a vibrant, living educational farm called the School Grown Rooftop. The Rooftop features over 450 edible planters, 100 mushroom logs, a dwarf fruiting orchard, and greenhouse, providing an opportunity to awaken the senses of students from JK – Gr 12 with fragrant aromas and fresh flavours direct from the garden. We need your help revitalizing the adjacent School Grown Classroom into a welcoming space that will inspire learners of all ages with the joys of harvesting, cooking and tasting.

Edison Elementary

The Schoolhouse Garden is a collaboration between the University of Oregon’s Service-Learning Program and Edison Elementary School. These entities, along with other community partners, utilize this space as an outdoor classroom for Upper Elementary students as well as college undergraduates. With helpful instruction from a local landscape architect and organic gardening expert, students learn about food insecurity in their community, health and nutrition, as well as the overarching subject of sustainable food production.

Woodward School for Technology & Research

Fair Food Matters' Growing Matters Garden provides garden-based, hands-on learning opportunities for local youth by supporting and coordinating garden activities at Woodward School for Research and Technology (WSTaR). With areas for vegetables, herbs, strawberries, and edible flowers, over 300 students are involved with the school garden each year. An extension of the classroom, we work closely with teachers to align garden lessons with state standards in science, math, and language arts.

La Tercera Elementary

La Tercera Elementary is the first STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focused elementary school in Sonoma County. Our garden will be an integral component of STEM learning for all of our students. The ultimate goal of our garden is to create an awareness for our students in the importance of healthy eating. The garden will provide opportunities for students to be involved in the developing and maintaining of garden beds. Last year, Sonoma County Master Gardeners provided us with a worm bin which will continue to be utilized this year.

William Davies Middle School

Our garden's overarching goal is to continue to expand our reach in addressing the food needs of our community. Our specific goal with this grant is to improve our composting program at our school site and reduce waste. We will incorporate the need for composting into our school curriculum in all subject areas and promote home composting and raised bed gardens by presenting school garden tours and workshops for our community.

Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School

The garden presents a unique and excellent opportunity to elementary school children to learn firsthand the value of plants and the importance of nature in an increasingly technology driven society. The intent is to allow children to have fun and enjoy the experience of being outdoors while learning different aspects of gardening. They will learn about the fundamental importance of growing food. The goal for the garden is to enable the students to engage in hands-on-learning, where students will plant, raise and harvest the vegetables/fruits when ready serving as an outdoor classroom.

Focus Learning Academy of N. Columbus K-8

Our school's garden will serve two functions. First we will use it to teach our students aquaponics techniques that they can use to grow food with very little water waste. These are skills they can use in real life application when they travel home to Africa to help grow food for everyone. Secondly they will be able to produce fresh vegetables that they can eat and share with their families. We are always actively trying to educate the community on how to make healthier food choices. Our school garden would be a great example of how to live a healthier lifestyle

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