Nothing compares to the bright smiles of children in a garden! Curious about the outdoors, eager to explore, and excited to learn, children of all ages delight in hands-on experiences with seeds, colorful flowers, fresh produce, and the soil beneath their feet. Beginning in 2021, to further this enthusiasm, the Piedmont Master Gardeners established a partnership with three elementary schools in different sections of the county: Greer (central), Crozet (western) and Stony Point (northern). These collaborative efforts continue today. In addition, PMG provides grant funding for other horticulture projects that focus on youth education. On an annual basis, local schools and nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for these grants to purchase tools, supplies, seeds, and other equipment to support on-site gardening efforts. This year, 23 projects in Albemarle County were funded. Plus, to support schools that offer compost education, PMG provides knowledgeable, experienced volunteers for on-site assistance.
This article focuses on the special elementary school partnerships. PMG involvement at each location is designed to address the distinct needs of that school site and its student population, which leads to unique models of successful engagement. At each site, schoolyard gardening activities have captured the hearts and minds of students, staff, families, and volunteers. In the words of Steve Saunders, Principal at Greer ES, “This project is nothing short of miraculous. It is exceeding our wildest expectations.”
Greer Elementary School
The outdoor facilities at Greer ES include a beautiful courtyard with rain gardens, flower beds to attract pollinators, eating areas, and a fully accessible sensory garden (installed Spring 2024), as well as a large fenced-in, raised-bed garden with benches and teaching stations behind the school building (completed Spring 2022).
A core team of master gardeners coordinates this initiative for students in grades K, 1, and 3, planning activities that target Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) in science, social studies, math, and literacy. Children’s literature selections are also provided for monthly lessons to reinforce concepts presented during those experiences in the garden.
On a monthly basis with support from schoolyard lead teachers at Greer (Emily Bell, Katie McLaughlin) and following a regular schedule established with teachers in advance, PMG volunteers meet with 15 different classes outside in the gardens (weather permitting). With teacher guidance, children from each class are divided into small groups, which facilitates meaningful communication and interaction with a wide variety of materials (provided by PMG).
Lessons and activities focus on plant parts and function, seeds/planting/germination, plant growth and life cycles, pollinators, butterfly host and nectar plants, worms and composting, healthy soil, observation skills, measurement, and harvesting and tasting fresh produce.
To help prepare and maintain the garden areas at Greer, workdays are organized several times during the year. UVA’s Alpha Phi Omega (APO) student service volunteers join master gardeners to pull weeds, spread mulch, and keep the flower beds in great shape. Remarkable camaraderie and cheerful spirits demonstrate that gardening is a delightful way to spend time together!
At the end of the academic year, Assistant Principal Becca Irvine coordinates tasks with the Greer PTO, that enthusiastically supports this program, to sign up families who are willing to water and take care of the gardens during summer months. The bonus? They get to harvest and consume any vegetables that are ready to eat! PMG volunteers have created short, user-friendly videos (translated into several languages) to show families what to do in the garden to keep it healthy and happy in June, July, and August.
Greer staff members appreciate the children’s rich exposure to outdoor education and PMG’s support for VA SOLs. Principal Steve Saunders is impressed with “the impact on the entire school.” He has complimented PMG on being “a committed partner that stays well-connected with school staff throughout the year.” He adds, “We continue to be grateful for you all and the many ways you’ve supported our school and students.”
This spring, a visit from Albemarle County School Board Member Rebecca Berlin was a wonderful treat for everyone. Dr. Berlin observed activities with kindergarteners in the courtyard. With her background in early childhood and special education, she was happy to participate actively, joining students in a song about flower parts and functions.
Expressing gratitude in a note, one student said, “I love gardening with you. I love everything you do.”
Another student summed up her feelings: “You are the best gardeners ever. Every time I go there, I learn something new.”
Flashing a huge smile at a spring meeting with PMG volunteers, Assistant Principal Becca Irvine sums up her feelings about Greer gardening activities: “Thank you all so much for everything you are doing to support this project. We just love it!”
Crozet Elementary School
Proudly labeled a “green school,” outdoor areas at Crozet Elementary include several attractive pollinator flower beds with a variety of native plantings. Second grade teacher Barbara Honeycutt, who provides a key leadership role for gardening at Crozet, is wildly enthusiastic about outdoor education. She and her grade-level colleagues instill a genuine love of nature amongst their second graders, and that exemplary model is contagious throughout the entire student population.
During a recent renovation of the school building, many existing plantings at Crozet had to be moved to accommodate the new construction. Crozet families and PMG volunteers assisted in those efforts, digging diligently to create new beds, adding compost, and marking spaces for more than 120 flowering plants. Later, a charming new children’s garden was created behind the building, where PMG volunteers helped children use a variety of tools to install native plantings.
The primary PMG project activity at Crozet takes place every April to commemorate Earth Day and the importance of taking care of our planet. This year, PMG volunteers organized an outdoor day for second graders, and lessons focused on the crucial relationship between pollinators and native plants. Crozet students were delighted to add pollinator-friendly plants to beautify their own children’s garden bed. They loved learning about pollinators, digging in the soil, planting, watering, and spreading mulch around nearby trees while exploring special items, such as snake skins and birds’ nests, in the newly installed “Discovery Boxes” around the bed.
Teacher Barbara Huneycutt expressed her gratitude: “Thank you so much for coming out on Earth Day to help second graders add new plants in the children’s garden. Students were so proud of their efforts and have since gone out daily to check on “their plants.” My colleagues commented on how well PMG volunteers interacted with students. “It was such a huge success!”
One of her students exclaimed, “I loved getting to plant and watering the plants at recess each day!”
Ms. Phillips’ class gushed with enthusiasm: “We had no idea how many different pollinators there are. We thought only bees had the job of pollinating, but moths, bats, beetles, and flies also help. We would like to thank the Piedmont Master Gardeners for coming to our school, teaching us, and helping us plant.”
Ms. Howell’s students added an element of anticipation, “We had so much fun planting outside! We loved watering the flowers and can’t wait to watch them bloom. Thanks for coming to help our community!”
Crozet Principal Staci England sent a note of gratitude to PMG, saying, “We very much appreciate all of you! Thank you for helping to teach our students the importance of working with the earth.”
Every year, Piedmont Master Gardeners offer guidance and on-site support for Crozet staff and community volunteers at productive fall and spring workdays to maintain garden areas. Participants include families (parents and children) from the Crozet PTO, Dr. Staci England, UVA’s APO service fraternity, UVA students majoring in environmental science, Western Albemarle High School students from the Earth Warriors Club, and teams from the United Way Day of Caring. These lively crews accomplish lots of weeding, mulching, and edging in the flower beds to upgrade the physical appearance of school grounds. The striking results of those efforts speak volumes about the enduring strength of this partnership.
Stony Point Elementary School
Outdoor gardening experiences are alive and thriving at Stony Point, where handsome flower beds adorn the entrance to the building and a well-stocked greenhouse and eye-catching raised beds are nestled comfortably behind the school. In addition, two intriguing theme-based courtyard areas – literacy garden and Japanese garden – are accessible from the interior of the building. Principal Maureen Jensen and Assistant Principal Paula Gately are steadfast champions of environmental education who encourage outdoor learning, and parent volunteer Amber Capron, who is familiar with the school and staff, is a fantastic on-site partner for PMG.
During the spring of 2023, Stony Point offered an outstanding after-school garden club for children in grades K-2. Amber Capron organized a variety of hands-on experiences, and PMG volunteers led small multi-age groups on a weekly basis. Activities focused on seeds and planting, plant life cycles, soil, taking care of gardens, critters in the garden (beneficial and pests), and beekeeping.
This year, with a goal of involving all students at Stony Point in horticulture, PMG partnered with Stony Point to plan a spectacular Earth Day celebration on April 19. Assistant Principal Paula Gately and Amber Capron helped coordinate logistics, so that every grade level had an opportunity for active engagement in small groups.
Students learned about pollinators and why they are important, investigated bees and how they make honey, dissected fresh flowers to discover how pollination works, explored edible plant parts, and matched seeds with plants.
Utilizing a paved open space outside the building, PMG volunteers set up three activity stations, so that children could rotate through these hands-on activities at assigned times. With a nod to the lasting effects of elementary school learning, the floral department manager at the Harris Teeter grocery store at Hollymead supplied more than 100 gorgeous fresh-cut flowers to Stony Point at no cost. Why? Because she remembered her own grade-school science classes where they explored flower parts!
All SPES students were happy to receive colorful stickers with details about how to protect pollinators, plus a packet of marigold seeds to take home. Teachers and families also got digital copies of additional activity suggestions, such as books to read, videos to watch, and games to play (e.g., pollinator bingo), to extend children’s learning after Earth Day.
In reflecting on that special schoolwide project, Paula Gately remarked, “I was very excited about this event, and it surpassed my expectations!”
With a big grin on her face, one student said, “It was a great day! When can we do this again?”
Looking Ahead
These outstanding schoolyard gardening projects show that dedicated time with children in a garden leaves an indelible impression of unrivaled delight. Each project is customized to meet the needs of the specific site, and every project reflects the strategic goals of the Piedmont Master Gardeners:
- Support environmental stewardship
- Focus on horticulture’s importance and impact on daily life
- Increase awareness of the benefits of food systems and locally grown foods
- Develop local volunteers for horticulture education
Time and time again, engaging with people of all ages in the local community brings joy to every master gardener. Hopefully, this article motivates you and others to learn more about our efforts in Albemarle County Schools. Perhaps you will think about how you can be involved in future horticulture projects!
