A garden can be wonderful educational tool if teachers integrate outdoor experiences and lessons into their curriculum. Our chapter initiated a school garden program, but this has been handed off to the stellar leadership of Charlotte Torgovitsky of Home Ground Habitats, and Audrey Fusco, nursery manager at SPAWN. Charlotte and Audrey are supporting teachers and schools by donating California native plants, seeds, educational materials and advice. Marin chapter of CNPS provides additional support through our Micro Grants program, which has awarded $1,000 grants to the habitat garden at Neil Cummins Elementary School, and to Coleman Elementary School’s teaching garden in San Rafael. The teachers are very grateful for the help, and the word is spreading!
Some of the recipients of donated plants and seeds:
Bayside Martin Luther King Academy, Sausalito
Bolinas-Stinson School, Bolinas
Glenwood Elementary, San Rafael
Greenwood School, Mill Valley
Hall Middle School, Corte Madera
Lagunitas School, San Geronimo
Manor School, Fairfax
Marin Academy, San Rafael
Marin Country Day School, Corte Madera
Marin School, San Rafael
Neil Cummins Elementary, Corte Madera
Novato High School, Novato
St. Mark’s School, Terra Linda
Strawberry Point School, Mill Valley
Tamalpais High School, Mill Valley
Terra Linda High School, San Rafael
Venetia Valley School, San Rafael
Willow Creek Academy, Sausalito
The goal is to provide some of the resources necessary to expand the scope of the average school garden to include a pollinator garden and habitat that provides resources for wildlife. These gardens become outdoor classrooms and being in them, working with soil and plants and seeing a variety of creatures, is often a favorite activity and real inspiration to many young students.