School Garden Program: Kindness Matters

Published April 2013

We’ve been receiving your Kindness Matters Giveaway entries and are enjoying all of your heartwarming volunteer stories. So many of you are making our world a positive place to live in every single day. Below is a letter we received from our bud, Anne, sharing her experience coordinating a garden program at her son’s school:

Hello!

I saw your blog post about volunteer week. I am the volunteer coordinator for my son’s elementary school garden program. Our school garden teaches kids about healthy food, climate change, the ecosystem, sustainability and, of course, organic gardening. Each grade, Pre-K through 5th grade, has a lesson in the garden twice a year.

First grade students planting lettuce in hoop houses in the school garden — First Grade planting lettuce in hoop houses in the Annex Garden, April 4th, 2013

As the coordinator I act as the liaison between the school and the sponsor Growe Foundation, who provides garden support. I organize lessons, work with teachers, work with the administration, coordinate with the PTA, attend all of the lessons and work with the kids.

Anne, her son and Girl Scouts posing with painted flower boxes after a garden work day — This one is actually me, after a long work day with some Girl Scouts. We painted the flower boxes we are posing with. (I’m on the left, sitting down & that’s my son in the middle.)

Anne's son holding her Volunteer Tea rose in front of the school garden — My son posing with my “Volunteer Tea” rose (my reward from the school for volunteering, lol) in front of the Annex Garden where the lettuce is planted. We plant the lettuce on the East side of the school because we have such strong winds here in Colorado. The lettuce is harvested by the 2nd graders and eaten as part of Rainbow Day in May. Last year we had a record harvest of about 90 lbs!

School garden before construction of a more accessible garden path — This is the garden last fall. As you can see, this path is not even very accessible for kids with disabilities.

School garden area where a new accessible path was planned — This is where the new path is to be laid. (Those yucky tiles are being replaced too.)

Additionally, I help organize fundraisers and garden projects. Most recently I initiated the project to build an ADA accessible path through our main garden. We partnered with Justin’s Nut Butter, PACT Apparel and raised funds through an Indiegogo campaign. I’m happy to say we reached our goal, and we will be installing the new path this spring as part of two work days, the first in participation with SeLebration as part of Project Yes, and the second my own Garden Work Day in which we have volunteers from Home Depot assisting alongside parents from the school.

School garden filled with green plants and flowers in bloom — The garden in bloom!

School garden before Anne became coordinator of the garden program — BTW, this is what it looked like before I took the reins as the coordinator. There had been no one in charge before me, and the program was in jeopardy of being dismantled. (That’s not going to happen now! =)

In addition to the garden, I also volunteer as part of the Green Team. Basically I oversee the Waste Station during lunch in the school cafeteria one day a week. I help kids sort their recycling, trash, and compost. Since this program was initiated, our school has been honored as a Green Star school.

Parents and teachers often thank me for doing what I do, but why I really do it is because I believe that the way to leave a better planet for our youth is to teach the youth to treat the planet better. Plus, I love being involved in my son’s education by getting to know the teachers and students that are a major part of his life. =)

I hope you enjoyed my story!

Sincerely,
Anne Spear

Thank you, Anne, for making our world a happier place!

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