The Problem
Califon Public School has chosen to address the problem of habitat destruction and sustainable agriculture. This project will help us create a school pollinator garden as our Roots & Shoots project. There is a lack of habitats for pollinators on and around our school grounds. Califon is an area of increasing human development and decreasing green spaces. The garden will help educate students on the effects of pesticides and fertilizers while raising awareness of the importance of pollinators, particularly monarch butterflies. The funds will help us to improve the quality of our soil and allow for the purchase of milkweed seeds and plants to encourage monarch butterfly visitors. This project will involve the entire school community from Pre-Kindergarten to eighth grade. This project will provide a vitally needed outdoor, cross-curricular educational space that will be used in subjects from science to art. This is extremely important with the coronavirus pandemic as students are facing unprecedented levels of stress. The improvement of our outdoor space is vital because studies have shown that outdoor activities have a positive effect on student mental health. This project will help our students take their education outside and empower them to improve their school community.
