My students need gardening gloves, a rake, trowels, and a shovel to create a beautiful vegetable, fruit, and herb garden on the land in the back of our school!
Domus Academy accommodates up to 48 of the most struggling middle school students in New Haven. The youth have been removed from the local public middle schools and arrive with significant social, emotional, and academic challenges. This is their last option if they want to have a chance to improve their academic performance. Instead of the two hours of tutoring mandated by the State of Connecticut for kids in this situation, we provide a welcoming, nurturing, and dynamic academic program to help these kids learn the skills they need to transition successfully to high school, college, vocational training, or the skilled workforce.
To alter the projected path of our students, our school model calls for smaller class sizes, a longer school day, focused attention on reading skills through specially-trained English language arts teachers and a literacy consultant who trains these teachers, and school uniforms to level the playing field.
We also have family advocates who address the social and emotional issues that make it hard for these kids to show up at school ready to pay attention in class and learn.
My Project
Students will create their first ever garden! The students that attend Domus Academy do not have space at their own homes to have gardens, or if they do, it is not safe to be outside for prolonged periods of time. having their own gardens in school will allow them to feel the sense of pride once they have grown their own fruit and vegetables. My goal is for them to be able to take them home to their friends and family and share their bounty!
Students will be able to show that they have grown their food from seeds, what a magical experience!
Having the skills to grow their own food will positively impact our students in many ways. They will feel a sense of accomplishment that will leave them questioning what else can they do that they have never done before?!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Quaranta and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.