October News Items

Announcements
Resources For Educators
Funding Opportunities

Announcements

Seeking Applicants for the Kidsgardening.com Advisory Board
Would you like to have a hand in guiding NGA’s educational media activities? NGA is looking for 12 youth garden educators -- one from each of our 12 regional zones — to serve on a volunteer advisory board for the Kidsgardening.com Web site. Ideally the board will include a representation of educators across grades ranging from pre-K through grade 12. The role of the advisors will be to review the contents of the Web site and provide suggestions for improvement and expansion. They will communicate with NGA staff monthly via e-mail, meet by phone conference twice a year, and write one article per year for the Web site addressing youth gardening news from their region. We request that advisors sign on for a two-year term.

Our goal is to have the board assembled and active by January 2007. If you’re interested, please contact Barbara Richardson or Sarah Pounders for more information and an application. We look forward to hearing from you!
View a map of NGA’s 12 regional zones.

NEW! Wild Oats Gardening with Kids Awards!
Kids eat better and develop positive attitudes towards fruits and veggies and learn important life skills when they grow and prepare these healthful foods themselves. And our new award, sponsored by Wild Oats Markets, Inc., will help children do just that! Award packages include gardening and supplies, kitchen equipment, curricula, and a cooking lesson/demo by a local member of Les Dames d’Escoffier. The award is open to programs in eleven North American cities/regions – please visit here for full details and an application.

What do YOU Think of Kids Garden News?
When you're through reading this issue, please take our survey and tell us what you think of Kids Garden News! Your feedback will guide us in making future issues the best resource possible.

AHS National Children & Youth Garden Symposium Call for Proposals ~ Dec. 15
American Horticultural Society’s 15th annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium titled “Widening the Circle” will be hosted by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Public Policy Programs July 19-21, 2007 in Chaska, MN. They have recently released their call for proposals for educational sessions. Click here for more details.

sLowLife Exhibit: Online Plant Videos
A collaborative project of the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and Roger Hangarter of Indiana University, the sLowlife exhibit compiles an impressive collection of time-accelerated plant videos showing plants in motion. Click here to see plant growth and movement in a new light.

Study Shows Green School Grounds Increase Physical Activity
Evergreen Learning Grounds of Canada recently published results of a study titled Grounds For Action that looks at the relationship between green school grounds and physical activity in elementary schools. Educators compared the amount of physical activity on their grounds before and after installing landscaping and gardens. Forty-nine percent reported the green grounds promoted more vigorous physical activity, and 71 percent reported increased moderate to light physical activity. Researchers Anne Bell and Janet Dyment write, "Compared to conventional school grounds, green school grounds appeal to a wider variety of student interests and support a wider variety of play opportunities that promote more vigorous, moderate and light physical activity." They "diversify the play repertoire, creating opportunities for children of all ages, interests and abilities to jump, climb, dig, lift, and generally get moving in ways that nurture all aspects of their health and development."

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Funding Opportunities (Listed chronologically by deadline date)

2007 Youth Garden Grants ~ There's Still Time to Apply!
NGA and The Home Depot will award 200 grants in February 2007. Apply by November 1 to win a gift card valued at $250 for your youth garden program! Click here to download an application.

2006 Organic School Garden Awards ~ Deadline: October 31
Do you use organic methods in your school garden? If so, you are eligible to enter this contest sponsored by The Rodale Institute. Teams of students and teachers are asked to submit an essay and poster that express how they use their school garden as a learning tool, how they use the produce they grow, and what impact it has for the students and community. Three winning schools will receive cash prizes of $250, $500, and $1,000. The deadline for submissions is October 31, 2006. Visit the Web site for entry forms, guidelines, and information on previous winners.

The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant ~ Deadline: November 15
This program gives small monetary grants to schools, nature centers, or other nonprofit educational organizations for the purpose of establishing outdoor learning centers. Funds must be used to purchase native plants and seeds. To qualify for a grant, organizations must successfully reflect the Wild Ones mission: To educate and share information about the benefits of using native plants in our landscape, and to promote biodiversity and environmentally sound practices. Visit here for more information.

NEW! Wild Oats Gardening with Kids Awards! ~ Deadline: January 15, 2007
See announcement above.

Toyota TAPESTRY Grants ~ Deadline: January 18, 2007
Looking for funds to implement an innovative science project? The Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Teachers program awards fifty $10,000 grants and at least 20 mini-grants of $2,500 to K-12 educators of environmental science, physical science, and science and literacy programs. For more information, visit the NSTA Web site.

Grant Wrangler Funding Directory
Grant Wrangler is a free grants listing service that makes it easy for teachers to find funding. To see the full list of funding opportunities, and to subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter, visit the Grant Wrangler Web site.