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Upcoming conferences and classes:

Rooted in Community National Conference
August 4- 7, 2005 - Washington D.C.
This conference is sponsored by Rooted in Community, a national grassroots network that empowers young people to take leadership in their own communities committed to building healthy communities through urban and rural agriculture, related environmental justice, community gardening, and food security work. The national conference is an opportunity for young people from around the country to meet each, share skills, support each other, have fun, and collaborate. For more information contact Zoe Sylvester.

Online Environmental Education Courses
September 12 - 18, 2005
"Fundamentals of Environmental Education" and "Applied Environmental Education
Program Evaluation" are separate 10-week online EE courses offered by the
Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) at the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Participants can earn three undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The courses are also offered as non-credit
workshops for those not seeking college credit. The registration deadline for both courses is
August 12, 2005. Learn more here

Community Food Security Coalition's Annual Meeting
October 5 - 9 - Atlanta, GA
Once again, Building Local Agricultural Systems Today (BLAST) will be arranging a youth delegation to the Community Food Security Coalition's Annual Meeting. Because the conference falls so close to the beginning of the school year, the application process will be starting soon. For more info about the conference, go to the Community Food Security Coalition Web site.
If you are interested in being part of the youth delegation, please notify BLAST via e-mail.

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Resources for the classroom:

Free Pollinators Poster!
The Great Pollinator Partnership educational poster was created by the U.S. Botanic Garden and the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC). This beautifully illustrated color poster includes ideas for putting it to use in the classroom. Hurry, these free educational materials are limited to the first 2000 teachers in accredited schools and home-school situations! Order here

School Lunch Waste in the News
A recent article by the Associated Press reported that trash and food waste generated by students and school cafeterias is really adding up. A single student produces 45 to 90 pounds of garbage a year in disposable lunches, according to New York's Department of Environmental Conservation. A federal review of the National School
Lunch Program found that wasted food costs more than $600 million! The article also highlighted the efforts of two schools trying to reduce this waste at its source. Click here to learn more about creating waste-free lunch programs, find resources, and read success stories.

New Environmental Education Classroom Lessons from Earth Day Network
Earth Day Network has just developed two new environmental education resources for
classroom use including Environmental Jeopardy and The Bobbie Bigfoot Sustainability Lessons.
Both resources are available for free to members of the Teacher's Corner.

 

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Funding Opportunities:

2006 Youth Garden Grants ~ Apply by Nov. 30
We're working out the final details of the 2006 program, sponsored by The Home Depot. We anticipate that applications will be available by August 1. Sign up to be notified when the application is available.

12th Annual Kids Growing with Dutch Bulbs Awards ~ This program of the Mailorder Gardening Association, offered in conjunction with the International Flower Bulb Center, Dutch Bulb Exporters, and the North American Flower Bulb Wholesalers Association awards schools with a package of 200 premium Dutch flowering bulbs and related educational activities. Application deadline: April 1, 2006. Learn more here

2006 Mantis Awards ~ Mantis proudly announces its expanded 2006 award program in support of charitable and educational garden programs that enhance the quality of life in their host communities. In partnership with Mantis, the NGA will select 25 gardens to receive a prize: 20 will each receive a Mantis Tiller/Cultivator, and five will receive a ComposT-Twin composting system. We welcome applications from all nonprofits — past winners include community gardens, schools, ministries, colleges, master gardening groups, and hospices. Learn more here

Adopt a School Garden Registry ~ This new program from NGA matches schools in need of resources for their gardening and plant-based education programs with people who have the ability and desire to help. NGA will also mentor educators and volunteers, and provide resources to ensure program sustainability.

If your program is already listed in the School Garden Registry on Kidsgardening.com, your listing automatically appears in the searchable Adopt a School Garden (ASG) database on the National Gardening Association Web site. To be sure your information is current, please take a moment now to:

Keep America Beautiful National Awards ~ Apply by Sept. 5
Keep America Beautiful (KAB), America's leading community improvement organization,
invites you to compete for national recognition by honoring your organization's efforts to deliver a more beautiful, cleaner, and improved environment. KAB encourages you to tell them about activities you've engaged in within the last 12 months in the areas of Litter Prevention, Beautification, Community Improvement, and Waste Reduction. Schools and youth groups of all kinds are eligible to apply. Business/professional organizations; nonprofit, civic and community organizations; and government agencies are also eligible. Find out more

Graffiti Hurts® National Awards ~ Apply by Sept. 16
Enter your program to win a Graffiti Hurts® National Award. Winners will receive a cash award of up to $1,000 and national recognition. Contest is open to all anti-graffiti projects that have taken place within the last 12 months. Schools and youth groups of all kinds are eligible to apply, as are business/professional organizations; nonprofit, civic and community organizations; and government agencies.

Do Something Awards ~ Apply by Sept. 2
Do Something awards $500 grants to change-makers and potential community leaders age
18 and under who identify problems in their communities, and then create game plans
to do something to change their world. Young people can apply on their own behalves,
or on behalf of a group or team.

Kids in Need Foundation Teacher Grants ~ Apply by Sept. 30
Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to help them realize
their dreams of providing innovative learning opportunities for their students.
Grants of $100-$500 will be awarded. Current state certified and licensed K-12
teachers are eligible to apply for grants.

Toshiba America Grants
Toshiba America Foundation contributes to the quality of science and mathematics
education in the United States with an annual grant budget of approximately $500,000. Recent
K-6 grantees include a classroom comparing plant growth in soil vs.a hydroponics
system, and elementary students making a botanical survey of plants on school
grounds. Some recipients in grades 7-12 are working on ecological field studies,
water quality assessment, and soil microbiology.

Starbucks Youth Leadership Grant ~ Apply by Oct. 1
The Starbucks Foundation funds local programs that serve low-income, at-risk youth
(ages 6-18) through its Youth Leadership Grant Program. Grants range from
$5,000-$20,000 and are given in two areas: Power of Literacy - programs that
stimulate personal development and a commitment to social equity, justice, and
environmental awareness through writing, literacy and expression in public forums;
and, Leaders in Diversity - programs that teach the value of societal diversity and
develop youth leadership skills to foster understanding between individuals, groups, and communities.

Organic School Garden Awards ~ Apply by Oct. 31
Teams of students and teachers submit essays and posters that express how their school garden improves students' health and the health of the Earth. Three winning schools will receive cash prizes of $250, $500, and $1,000. The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2005. To learn more about contest details, visit the Rodale Institute's KidsRegen.org Web site.

Hot Horticultural Resources from NGA

Plant Finder
Looking for a plant with specific characteristics? Try searching our new Plant Finder database. More than 1600 plants are tagged by attributes, such as plant type, hardiness zone, flower color, and season of bloom, as well as special features, such as "attracts butterflies" or "good for cut flowers." You can go on to access detailed information and photos. Check it out!

Regional Reports
NGA's biweekly Regional Reports are one of our most popular features, and for good reason! Twice a month our 12 horticultural columnists offer recommendations for gardeners in their area. You can read them at the NGA Web site, or subscribe for the bimonthly e-newsletter version. Read the current reports.

 

July 2005
Kids Garden News

Contents

Newsletter Home

Mantis Awards

Spotlight Article: Growing Kids
in Accessible Gardens,
Camp ASCCA

News Items

Lesson Feature:
Gardens Are for Everyone

Introduction

Background

Lesson 1:
Accessibility Inventory

Lesson 2: Flower Power

Plant of the Month: Sunflower

Resources