LPCMGA 2021 COMMUNITY GRANT AWARDS
Little Learner's Preschool
Amanda Roe of Little Learners Preschool was a recipient of one of the 2021 Community Grants. She teaches special education at the La Porte Count Special Education Co-op. She is building a multisensory garden for her students and the other students at the school.
In the 20/21 school year, Little Learner's Preschool moved to their new site at the newly renovated Boston School. We share the school with administration, as well as the Unity program. The school services children of all ages and abilities. Our specific program services special needs preschool students. We have six preschool classrooms that service 12 preschool classes. We are looking to enhance their education through project-based learning and we are hoping to create a school garden with herbs, fruits, and vegetables. We are also planning on creating a butterfly garden, story walk, bird houses, a sensory garden, a story pit, and more. The main focus at this time is to build at least 3 garden boxes for each class to share for the beginning of our project-based learning journey. Below is a Google Slide to provide a more visual idea of what we hope to accomplish.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSzaT9Ta9FZzN7Y0QHx7aqWi8nGbVwa42QQaLnYvPWq3_yP_MiZ8yb_N4Lm79_7EByPMOBI-dZDmeHQ/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000
In the 20/21 school year, Little Learner's Preschool moved to their new site at the newly renovated Boston School. We share the school with administration, as well as the Unity program. The school services children of all ages and abilities. Our specific program services special needs preschool students. We have six preschool classrooms that service 12 preschool classes. We are looking to enhance their education through project-based learning and we are hoping to create a school garden with herbs, fruits, and vegetables. We are also planning on creating a butterfly garden, story walk, bird houses, a sensory garden, a story pit, and more. The main focus at this time is to build at least 3 garden boxes for each class to share for the beginning of our project-based learning journey. Below is a Google Slide to provide a more visual idea of what we hope to accomplish.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSzaT9Ta9FZzN7Y0QHx7aqWi8nGbVwa42QQaLnYvPWq3_yP_MiZ8yb_N4Lm79_7EByPMOBI-dZDmeHQ/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000
Keys to Hope Gardens
Jim Musial was the 2nd recipient of our 2021 Community Grant representing the Keys to Hope Gardens in Michigan City, IN. The Gardens are at two locations, one garden is on the Keys to Hope Community Resource Center grounds (1802 Franklin) and the other is in the front yard/side yard of the Grace Learning Center/Sand Castle Shelter for Homeless Families. Jim states that these gardens, tended by participants of the CCH (Citizens Concerned for the Homeless) programs under the direction of Jamie Miller (Unity Foundation), serves as both a source of fresh homegrown produce for our programs but also as a learning opportunity for CCH participants to learn how to "grow your own".
The grant will allow us to replace 2 raised beds that are currently 4 ft. wide x 8 ft. long x 6 inches deep with more efficient beds size 4 ft. wide x 8 ft. long and 12 inches deep. This will allow for a wider variety of plants to be grown in each bed and allow us to rotate crops. It will also provide better water retention in each raised bed.
We will also be starting a new strawberry bed for the CCH smoothie/healthy eating program.
The grant will allow us to replace 2 raised beds that are currently 4 ft. wide x 8 ft. long x 6 inches deep with more efficient beds size 4 ft. wide x 8 ft. long and 12 inches deep. This will allow for a wider variety of plants to be grown in each bed and allow us to rotate crops. It will also provide better water retention in each raised bed.
We will also be starting a new strawberry bed for the CCH smoothie/healthy eating program.