The Problem
Our elementary Outdoor classroom is not accessible to all individuals.
Our Plan
We aim to add a paved pathway and inclusive seating, but immediately begin by adding accessible raised garden beds for children and staff to be able to participate in gardening activities.
Themes Addressed
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Ableism
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Compassion
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Friendship
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Inclusion
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The Benefit
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People
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Environment
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Here is how the project went:
We were thrilled to be able to work with so many kids to make this happen. The clubs involved spanned last year's second semester Earth Club (15 kids ages 3-5 grade), this year's earth clubs (two sessions per semester ages k-2, 3-5 helped clear the space for the build and will fill the beds with soil and plants), the art clubs who will put a mural on the sides of the raised beds under the theme of "Together in the Garden," (ages k-5, 30 kids), and the life scout candidate whom has fought ableism his entire life. While the Earth club identified this need last year, it has encompassed the efforts of so many people and will impact the beauty, functionality, and accessibility for the entire school body (650-ish kids).
Through this project I/we learned:
Through this project, I learned that kids should be in charge of more projects.
What I/we might change:
If we did this project again, I would like to make it more of a school wide initiative, though the school will be selecting the plants we grow in the new beds.
My/our favorite part of this project was:
My favorite part was watching how so many individuals have come together for one common goal to help an underserved population at our school.
Some tips, tricks or fun facts about the project:
Clear goals, established timelines, and a few responsible people to run each collaborative side. Lots of communication is better than none and update your social media often to keep people interested. Clearly letting people know where the funds went shows accountability. We spent our $250 on quality garden soil to fill the raised beds (four cubic yards) and plants for our raised garden beds.