Community helpers welcome for two "work days"
Ithaca, N.Y.— Residents are invited to help students at Broadway Academy in Elmira expand and improve the garden in the school courtyard. Seventh- and eighth-graders are working from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. during the mornings of April 22 (Earth Day) and April 29 to clean up neglected garden beds and a small fish pond. They'll put in native plants to attract birds and butterflies and teachers will use the garden for structured lessons. Broadway Academy was awarded one of 10 Garden Grants administered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's K-12 Education Program, with funding from the Alaska® Fish Fertilizer
company.
"This was a very competitive process," explains Lindsay Glasner at the Cornell Lab. "More than 500 schools across the country applied for these grants. We loved that Broadway Academy had already gotten a head start on improving its garden space using their own resources and just needed a boost to make it better."
"Students and their families can learn how to grow plants from seed and plan what types of seed to grow," teacher Elizabeth Boylan explained in her application for the grant. "Students will recycle or reuse items to build bird feeders and birdhouses to put in the garden as well as at their homes. The fish pond will be an attraction for birds, too."
With free lessons provided by the Cornell Lab, Broadway students will also use their garden to learn about bird habitat, nesting and migration, and how to take part in citizen science. This is the second year for the Garden Grant program.
"Central Garden and Pet is excited about the ongoing partnership with Cornell's Lab of Ornithology," said Brian Thille, Senior Director of Marketing. "Inspiring future gardeners with hands on experience growing bird habitat and garden fresh foods and providing teachers with supporting STEM curriculum is what this program is all about. These programs are vitally important, as students that engage in school gardening are likely to experience academic, physical, emotional, social, and even behavioral benefits."
Anyone wishing to help the students with this project should go the school, 1000 Broadway, in Elmira, anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on April 22 and 29. Dress to get dirty and bring any gardening tools you feel comfortable using, such as shovels, trowels, or watering cans. Refreshments will be provided.
If you plan to volunteer, please get in touch with coordinator Crystal Townsend at ctownsend@gstcontractors.com or (607) 735-3300 Ext.5017.
