In the fall of 2013, Goodridge partnered up with Toyota to create a STEM garden on our property. Students of the 2013-2014 fourth grade class, drew up their renditions of what they felt a garden should look like based on the measurements and what was already in the garden. Students then voted on (by class) the top drawings and what they felt the garden should look like. From that point, our Family Resource Coordinator got together the top six drawings and students from each classroom and created one garden proof that was to be used and given to Toyota. In October of 2013, teams of Goodridge teachers, families and students, along with many volunteers came together to repair the garden and get many of the fourth grade ideas into reality. We created a paver path through the garden, gates for the entrance and exit of the garden, upcycled tires for planters, installed bird feeders, put down mulch and edging, created garden stones, planted bulbs, created raised beds for future use, and cleaned up the garden in entirety. In the spring, Toyota came back and finished some of the projects we had started in the fall, but did not finish, purchased plants and shrubs for us, and helped clean up the beds. At the same time, the UK extension office was contacted and the fourth grade team met with Gina Ligon and Tonia Spille from the office and they came up with ideas on how to create raised vegetable gardens so that we could start using it for our backpack buddies. The main goal, in the end, is to create a working garden so that families in need could benefit from the food the students grow. On September 19th, the ladies from the extension office came out again to our garden and created lessons for the fourth grade classes to participate in and assigned students seeds or transplanted plants to maintain. They created the raised flower beds for us which acts as mini-greenhouses. There are already some veggies sprouting!
In conjunction with that, Mrs. Wilson wrote a grant over the summer to Walmart and Sam’s Foundation to promote eating of fruits, vegetables and whole grains during the backpack buddies. She was awarded the grant ($2300) to shop for fresh produce until our garden produces healthy items!
In conjunction with that, Mrs. Wilson wrote a grant over the summer to Walmart and Sam’s Foundation to promote eating of fruits, vegetables and whole grains during the backpack buddies. She was awarded the grant ($2300) to shop for fresh produce until our garden produces healthy items!