My students live in an impoverished, dying rust belt community. Most of the factories are vacant and the housing is in decay. While there are efforts to revitalize the city popping up now and then, the bleak outlook for my students does not ever seem to change. The lasting impacts of Covid-19 have compounded these problems and have led to the closures of many small businesses and shuttered programs that have offered an outlet for students in the past.
My students lack opportunities for social activities in our community.
We volunteer at a local community garden during the school year. The garden provides many benefits for students, which has sparked an interest in them growing their own plants and making their own gardens at home. We need gardening supplies. The scientific process of gardening intersects with the joy of watching a seed transform into a living organism which is fascinating to many students.
For the past several years, my students have started vegetable and flower seeds in the classroom that we care for until they are ready for transplant. The plants are then given away for free at a district-wide spring event and the rest are taken home by the students to maintain in their own family gardens throughout the summer. Our plants are growing strong and are looking great. We currently have many different varieties of tomatoes and peppers, as well as cucumbers, cucamelons, zucchini, eggplant, strawberries, watermelon, basil, parsley, thyme, sage, oregano, cilantro, culantro, rosemary, luffa gourds, zinnias, marigolds, pansies, calendula, violets and more!
Many students have shared that they live in apartments or multiple-family dwellings and don't have the ability to make space for a garden at home. I am requesting supplies to make container gardens for those students. Thank you for helping us continue this valuable classroom and community activity!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Prusak and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
