Les Basset, Beth Sprague, and Green Team

The team’s innovative teaching program, “Outdoor Classroom Improvement,” builds off of the original outdoor classroom they created at their school three years ago. With the Voya grant, the group’s goal is to improve and extend their outdoor classroom so that the students and the school can benefit from it even more. They have a raised garden bed area that they plan to improve, along with a butterfly garden that will get upgraded so that it includes a pollinator garden. Additionally, they will add a greenhouse to increase interest within the students to grow their own food year-round and explore a means to serve the school kitchen. They plan to revive a dry river bed, replace wooden logs that had broken down because of natural wear and tear, add work tables for more art, science and planting work, a gravel pit that needs cleaning up for safety reasons, WiFi access, a secure place to store gardening equipment, and a construction area that is safer and includes more hands-on activities for all students. The group hopes to extend their outreach into the community, supporting the school’ and church’s food bank.