Withers Community Garden

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Withers and REAL school gardens have created stimulating, inviting and beautiful spaces that encourage a child's learning across subject matters. They are unique outdoor classrooms designed to provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for elementary-aged children.  This real-world learning can be integrated into all academic subject areas and has been shown to benefit children by boosting academic achievement, nurturing healthy lifestyles, cultivating life skills and promoting environmental stewardship. Withers teachers worked with REAL School Gardens educators to integrate gardening into the Reading/Language Arts, Math, Art and Science Curriculum. Teachers received lesson plans and professional development to assist with the integration. Money and plants were donated to assist teachers and students with planting.We have planted flowers and many varieties of vegetables in grade level raised beds. Community members, PTA and Dad’s Club are actively involved in helping to maintain the outdoor classroom. Brookhaven College volunteers and Johnson and Johnson volunteers from across the United States helped students plant and do maintenance on the pond and garden beds.

   Withers was awarded the REAL School Gardens with their highest honor- the Suzy Peacock Award. This award recognizes Withers for the “Spirit of Community, Transformative Experiences, and Celebrating Excellence.” The Suzy Peacock Award comes with $500 to be used towards the Withers garden.  Ellen Robinson from the REAL foundation wrote, “We have appreciated the many times you and your staff have welcomed our requests to bring by visitors to learn more about the REAL School Gardens program and see your outdoor classroom in action.  We were especially appreciative of the day we were able to host a United Way grant proposal panel in your science lab.  The teachers we have worked with have also been wonderfully receptive to sharing their experiences with the garden when asked to speak with the various visitors we have brought by. As always, I was impressed by the intelligence and behavior of the Withers students.  It has been a real pleasure working with this group of teachers this school year—we are proud to partner with a school that has such talented and innovative educators.”

Withers celebrated Green Week and Earth Month which was sponsored by PTA. During the week students brought materials from home for the composting bins, learned about Earth Day, and listened to guest speakers who talked about plants and plant care. They also sponsored a “Farmer’s Market” and gave students a variety of fruits and vegetables for them to take home. Withers 2^nd grade choir members and the Green Team members performed a recycling program for the PTA meeting during Green Week.