John M. Smyth Magnet School

This grant will make it possible to outfit our school greenhouse with soil, pots, grow boxes, educational materials and irrigation equipment that will help us maximize the amount of produce that students can start in the greenhouse and grow both in the garden and outdoors. Our goal is to bring vegetables that the students grow to the cafeteria for them to eat. Last year we had a volunteer who made it possible for 6th graders to start seeds in the greenhouse and we cooperated with a community garden nearby to have the seedlings moved outside to grow. We also had Pre-K and 3rd grade students plant seeds and seedlings in the student plots at the community garden. We joined the CPS "Eat What You Grow" program and hope to grow enough this coming year to be able to bring the veggies "to the table." We also want to start a special interest student gardening club to maintain the garden and greenhouse. Volunteers have just built 2 raised garden bed boxes on school grounds that need soil.