New Horizon Peace Garden

The vision for a New Horizon School Peace Garden at its middle school campus grew out of a desire to develop a space that will enrich our students’ learning with the establishment of an environmental education program and serve as a place to sow seeds of peace and understanding through community building. The school’s diverse student body hails from all around the world including Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

Our core goals for the Peace Garden’s 6,480 foot space are:

•  Farm to Table
•  Environmental Stewardship and Nature Appreciation
•  STEM Proficiency
•  Community-building

The Garden Committee and the Garden Club (comprised of students) have worked with La Loma Development Company Pasadena, throughout 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 to design the garden vision. Ideas were also solicited from students in Kindergarten through sixth grade, as well as the faculty and administration, to inform their plan. 

The final design includes a pond, a pathway stretching along the length of the garden which leads to other areas such as a composting area, native plant area, and keyhole garden beds for vegetable gardening. Other exciting features can be found in the garden including Silk Road Herbs and Spices planting areas, a fruit orchard, and a Friendship Fountain that celebrates the friendships between the school and other organizations and individuals of different faiths within the Pasadena community.  A quiet meditation corner and seating areas that invite students to work together on interdisciplinary units in language arts, math, science, art, and music, complete the space.  All classrooms will be invited to make the garden a place to engage students and excite them about learning.

In 2012, the NHS administration created an opportunity to redesign a portion of the Lower School play area.  The goal was to develop a Nature Playground, a space that would invite students to appreciate nature, use their imagination while playing in a natural environment, and grow vegetables and flowers in garden boxes.  The Lower School Director worked with fourth grade students on the Green Leadership Team to come up with design ideas which were part of the final design.  Due to the installation of  this Nature Playground, the National Wildlife Federation designated the school’s natural play area as a Certified Wildlife Habitat, which earned the school recognition from Nickelodeon’s Big Help program. Nickelodeon donated to the school’s efforts to build a Peace Garden on the middle school campus.

The Garden Committee includes the following members:

Amira Al-Sarraf, Head of School and Chair of Garden Committee, believes in the importance of nature and gardening in the lives of children.  She began the Peace Garden project in 2011-2012 with a small committee that has grown to include alumni, alumni parents, parents, grandparents, and faculty.  In 2012, she attended the American Horticultural Society’s Children and Youth in Gardens Conference in Washington, D.C. in July 2012 along with another committee member, Jane El-Farra, and visited several school and community gardens to gather ideas.

Tahereh Sheerazie, an alumni parent and avid gardening enthusiast and visionary who has lent her ideas and expertise to the committee. She is currently involved in the New Horizon Peace Garden project as well as the Abruzzi School garden in Shigar, Pakistan.

Iesha Wadala, is an alumna of the school who has worked in various cultures and communities and has developed a passion in community food security, food justice, and environmental stewardship. She recently completed her Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis on Urbanism and the Built Environment at Columbia University. She also co-founded the 5Mi Radius (www.5miradius.org) and has been involved in numerous garden and sustainability projects around Southern California.

Stacey Inal, is both a parent and board member. She has her Master’s in business and owned and operated a landscaping company in New Mexico for many years. She has a passion for urban garden and creating edible gardens to help combat local community hunger.

William Radford is a first grade teacher and makes growing and composting important learning opportunities for his students. He is keenly interested in gardening and in students developing an understanding of the science behind gardening and the value of growing one’s own food.

Barbara Williams is a Pre-K teacher who recently completed her Master’s in Education degree and wrote her thesis on gardening in a school program. She is eager to participate in lending her passion for bringing gardening into the school to the committee work.

Laila Al-Marayati is a current parent who brings her own interest in gardening and personal experiences to the committee to support the vision and help develop our action plan.

Jane El-Farra is a current grandparent who is excited to contribute her ideas and experiences in gardening to help the school’s goals become reality. She has her own garden at home and believes in the importance of children having the chance to develop an appreciation for nature and the earth.

New Horizon is a National Blue Ribbon School honored by the U.S. Dept. of Education and was recognized in 2012 as a Green Ribbon School for its leadership in the areas of green building, conservation, and sustainability. 

We are currently in the fund raising phase to begin the implementation of the Peace Garden at the middle school campus.