Animas Valley Elementary

The Animas Valley "Learning Garden" is an interdisciplinary, cross-curricular, educational enrichment project. Each year, we spend a great deal of time and effort securing funds to continue this amazing project which teaches our community about sustainable food practices and healthy eating. This grant would provide a lump sum of money, so we can focus our energy on the actual quality and expansion of the garden project which now includes a year-round greenhouse.

Our staff continues to improve how we implement the garden into our instruction by offering experiential learning opportunities in a wide array of disciplines, including the natural and social sciences, math, language arts (e.g., through garden journaling), visual arts (e.g., through garden design and decoration), and nutrition. Last, this garden directly aligns with Durango School Districts 9R's Strategic Plan # 4 which states,