D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy

Our goals are to obtain the necessary resources to enhance and sustain our existing school garden that was built on the campus of D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy last year by expanding community participation in the garden during the school year and summer months and increasing the hands on educational opportunities that we can provide for our students. When our school was opened last year, we began with 120 6th grade students who were all involved in the school garden. This year we have added a grade level and we would like both grade levels to be able to start seedlings, take care of the plants, and watch them grow in the Science classrooms, as well as have an opportunity to learn about sustainable gardening techniques that can be used year round. Last year we began connecting the garden to the community by distributing our harvest to senior citizens that live in a low income housing community a block away from the school. This year, we would like to move forward with our vision of transforming our garden into a community garden where we can provide a place for community members to come together to feel connected and involved in supporting the school while having access to fresh produce. We also want to teach our students about sustainable gardening practices, environmental stewardship, and understanding food sources.