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bringing science to life

By using gardens as living laboratories for exploration and experimentation.

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improving health outcomes

By fostering a positive relationship between children and fresh fruits and vegetables.

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getting students out and active

Spending active time outdoors improves student health and well being.

In-School Education Programs

School Garden Project partners with local schools to provide specialized, standards based science instruction through garden-based learning. During our educational programs, participating classes visit their school garden in the fall and spring for sessions that integrate hands-on science lessons with practical food production skills. School Garden Project is the only nonprofit organization in the region that specializes in delivering comprehensive, school day, garden-based education. By providing instructional staff, volunteers and a high-quality curriculum at a low cost to schools, we enhance and extend classroom studies without adding to the workload of participating teachers. In 2014-15, the 15 schools directly served by School Garden Project in the Eugene-Springfield area had an average Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) eligibility of 65%, with a high of 94%. Through our in-school program, we partner with 14 schools in three districts to provide specialized instruction in garden-based learning. School Garden Project’s programming is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards.

STEM in the Garden

School Garden Project continues to build Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) resources for garden education, both during the school day and afterschool during the 4J BEST Program for students in low-income schools.

School Garden Project is recognized as an emerging local leader in STEM curriculum design and implementation, providing curriculum resources, teacher consulting, and direct STEM in the Garden education. With School Garden Project support, both students and teachers are learning to use math, engineering, and technology in the garden to make their own discoveries about key scientific concepts such as nutrient cycling and pollination.

Garden Support Services

Educational gardens need support. School Garden Project provides organizations in Lane County and beyond with seeds, starts, consultation, and tools. During the past school year, 32 organizations received 465 packets of seeds, 6,419 plant starts, and more than 45 hours of garden consultation.

Professional Development

To help build community capacity for garden education, School Garden Project delivers workshops, tours, and professional development to local parents, teachers, garden educators and other community members both locally and at the state level. Programs include methods for all teachers to use the school garden with their students, STEM curriculum development, Next Generation Science Standards, curriculum adaptations for students with learning and/or physical disabilities, composting, and summer garden care.

Our Programs

School Garden Project is regarded as the primary resource in Lane County for educators seeking to establish garden learning programs. School Garden Project is the only nonprofit organization in the region that specializes in delivering comprehensive, school day, garden-based education at multiple school sites. By providing instructional staff, volunteers and a high-quality curriculum at a low cost to schools, we enhance and extend classroom studies without adding to the workload of participating teachers.

Our main services include our In-School and After School Education Programs and our Support Services Program. Through our in-school program, we partner with schools in three districts to provide specialized instruction in garden-based learning. School Garden Project implements and provides curriculum which meets the recently adopted Next Generation Science Standards. Our after school program delivers “STEM in the Garden” at four under-served schools in the Eugene 4J district. Using standards-based lessons, we strive for balance between garden fun and academic rigor as part of 4J’s support program for at-risk students in elementary and middle school.

Through our support services, we help schools and other organizations build new educational gardens and sustain existing gardens with supplies, training and consultation. We provide seeds, starts, garden education and design consultation annually to over 40 schools and nonprofits in Lane County and beyond. As part of this program, we make all of our standards-based science and STEM curriculum available online, free of charge. Since 2013, 688 people from 46 states have referenced the curriculum online. Nearly 390 people in OR, AK, ID and WA have accessed the curriculum.

During the 2015-2016 School Year

Science Standards

96% of students increased their science and garden knowledge
Affinity for Vegetables

53% of students reported an increased preference for vegetables
Gardening

1,702 hours were spent actively gardening with kids

Direct Education

School Garden Project delivered 567 educational garden sessions to area schools
Students Served

1,237 students were served by our programs
Engaging Community

325 Volunteers joined in to make our programs possible by giving over 2,100 volunteer hours

Financial contributions make our programs possible. When you invest in School Garden Project your dollars create results: Improved science knowledge, new gardening skills and a love for fresh vegetables. The positive changes continue beyond the school yard, too. As one of our students proudly announced to our garden instructor, “I’ve learned so much in garden class that my parents are finally going to let me grow a garden at home!” Please consider making a tax deductible donation today and help to keep Lane County students growing!