Delaware School for the Deaf

Our goal is to teach our children using hand on approach. The school garden are integrated into different subjects (read below) and character education. They learn best through visual and hand on activities. They involved smell, sight, taste and touch.
They learn why it is important to take care of the garden so vegetables can grow bountiful and healthy. It requires attention, and commitment. It teaches children to apply same philiosophy to real life.
With the grant monoey, it will be used toward consutlation and seed from Thianda Manzara, Healthy Food for Healthy Kids organization, purchase of the fruit trees/bushes and kitchen set for each department (three departments). We do not have any fruit trees or bushes at this school.. Our younger children have not grasp fully of what categories mean. For example; bok choy, radish, turnips, etc are in vegetables category. If we add fruits to our courtyard, it may help children understand what category means.
Our vegetable garden is in a courtyard. The school building encloses around the courtyard. Classrooms, cafeteria and library have large windows facing courtyard. Children have an access to the vegetable garden on daily basis. It l protects from intruders from coming in.
We will buy a compost bin. it is an important part of our project. We have one small compost bin. It is not enough to accomodate end of the season plants. A bigger compost bin will do the job. The compost will be used to fertilize the soil.
Grow lab will be a wonderful addition to the BHN.. It is our fifth seasons of vegetable planting. Our children asked why we did not plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. If we have the grow lab, we will grow summer vegetables seed in it while we grow spring vegetables in the garden boxes. After the vegetables are harvested, the summer vegetables will be transplanted in the boxes. Our summer school students will learn and work with summer vegetables.