Leake Central Elementary

This Garden Project is a long-term educational program for our students and our community, to be initiated in Winter/Spring 2015. The 100+ Elementary School students of the Carthage / Leake County Boys & Girls Club will help build, plant, maintain, harvest and replant this garden through the seasons, guided by 20-25 of their High School aged peers in our Future Farmers of America and 4H programs, and 10-20 community volunteers in our local Master Gardeners program. Our vision is that the youngest students (age 5-10) will become mentors for this project when they graduate to Middle School and High School. The Garden Space will also be available for classroom visits and lessons during the school day. The plan has the support of the MSU Extension Service, FFA, and the Leake County Cooperative. The funds requested will support the purchase of construction materials, tools, topsoil, fertilizer, seed, and notebooks or other curriculum materials as described later in this application.