P.S. 40 Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Program Type: 
Garden Classrooms
Grade Level/Age Group: 
Upper Elementary
Number of Individuals Program Serves: 
1,000
Year Founded: 
2015
About the Program: 

The WITS Tower Garden will be the primary feature of the WITS Green for Kids program, with the goal of increasing environmental awareness and develop sustainable practices in public schools. Because the Tower Gardens are mobile, students can connect to nature anywhere in their school, year-round. The Tower Gardens will be featured in the WITS Green Labs, hands-on educational classes on sustainability topics; used to support the WITS Culinary Labs; and also made available to teachers for use in their curricula. Students will develop an appreciation for nature, an understanding of where their food comes from, and an increased sense of responsibility from taking care of the Tower Garden. Tending to plants and gardens is proven to have a calming effect on children, particularly those with learning disorders, and help them to return to class focused and ready to learn. The WITS Green for Kids program will further support our cultivation of a culture of health and wellness.