The ACHIEVE New London County Coalition has awarded six mini-grants of $1,000 each to the following elementary schools for the purpose of creating an edible school garden: Jennings Elementary School, Regional Multicultural Magnet School and Winthrop Elementary School in New London; Uncas Elementary School in Norwich; and Great Neck Elementary School and Quaker Hill Elementary School in Waterford.
The Outdoor Edible Garden Mini-Grant Program is designed to support New London County Schools by offering seed money from which to launch their own edible garden initiative. It is the intention of the Outdoor Edible Mini-Grant Program to provide educational opportunities to elementary school classrooms that will improve nutrition and connect children more closely to the foods they eat, especially for children with limited nutrition-related resources.
“School gardens can be powerful places for learning,” said Ledge Light Health District Senior Program Coordinator Cindy Barry. “A school garden program offers students experiences that deeply impact their understanding of health, food, nature and community. We have seen successful garden programs across the nation that have improved test scores, reduced childhood obesity, promoted physical activity, exposed kids to healthy foods, changed eating habits and provided positive connections to nature.”
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The 2014 ACHIEVE mini-grants are being used by school garden programs to install raised garden beds, expand drip irrigation systems, test pilot garden learning activities that support the core curriculum and purchase seeds and plants.
Pat Fedor, principal of Great Neck Elementary School said the grant has allowed the school to expand their school garden program in many ways, including the addition of a rain-sensitive irrigation system, compost bins, tool boxes and classroom seed starters.
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“The Great Neck Garden has become a live classroom involving every student at each grade level, including an after school club, and a resource for our cafeteria,” Fedor said. “Flowers from the garden will again, this September, decorate each classroom for Back to School Night and October will once again bring the pumpkins and gourds to help us enjoy the fall season. The ACHIEVE grant provided us with the means to bring our Great Neck garden to life and be enjoyed by every student and adult at Great Neck School.”
Through the USDA Farm to School Support Program Grant, Ledge Light Health District will work with state and local partners to establish a regional school garden resource network in cooperation with the New London County Food Policy Council and FRESH New London. The network will provide opportunities for school garden coordinators to share curricula, purchase supplies cooperatively, share best practices and lessons learned and develop strategies for engaging students and families. For more information, please contact Cindy Barry at 860-448-4882, ext. 302 or cbarry@llhd.org.
