Project Grant 02J11601

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO GROWING GARDENS TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN PORTLAND, OREGON. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY IMPLEMENTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE) THROUGH GARDENING PROJECT. THE TEAM BELIEVES THAT GROWING FOOD IN SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS IS A PRACTICAL AND ENGAGING WAY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO EXPAND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS AND HOW THEIR ACTIONS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO WATER, SOIL, AND AIR QUALITY. THE GRANTEE WILL HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SCHOOL GARDENS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE GARDENING METHODS. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND PROVIDE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. THIS GRANT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO GROWING GARDENS TO IMPLEMENT ITS OWN PROJECT TO INCREASE PUBLIC AND STUDENT AWARENESS OF GARDENING IN PORTLAND, OREGON. THREE EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS WILL PROVIDE EDUCATION TO BOTH K-12 STUDENTS AND ADULT HOME GARDENERS ENROLLED IN THE GARDENING PROGRAM. STUDENT LESSONS WILL TAKE PLACE IN SCHOOL GARDENS USING GROWING GARDEN'S CURRICULUM, WHICH INCLUDES EDUCATION ABOUT SOIL FERTILITY, WATER CYCLES, PLANT GROWTH, AND CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH AGRICULTURE. ADULTS WILL LEARN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE GARDENING METHODS SUCH AS COVER CROPPING, COMPOSTING, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, SOIL FERTILITY, WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND MORE, AT WORKSHOPS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN BACKYARD GARDENS AND AT COMMUNAL GARDEN LOCATIONS. ALSO, TWO AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS FOR TEENS WILL BE OFFERED COVERING GARDENING AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, DESIGNED TO ENGAGE LOW-INCOME AND BIPOC TEENS IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACTIVITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL FOOD JUSTICE LEADERS AND AGRICULTURAL PRACTITIONERS, AND MENTORSHIP ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS. WITH THIS PROJECT ROUGHLY 2,500 K-12 STUDENTS AND 300 ADULT HOME GARDENERS IN LOW-INCOME AND BIPOC NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE PORTLAND METRO REGION WILL BE REACHED.SUBRECIPIENT:THROUGH A MINI-GRANT PROGRAM, FIVE SUBAWARDS WILL BE GIVEN TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR COMMUNITY NONPROFITS FOR SCHOOL GARDENS. RECIPIENTS WILL BE DRAWN FROM LOCAL SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THEIR SCHOOL GARDEN COORDINATOR CERTIFICATE TRAINING AND WANT TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS. THESE AWARDS WILL DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BENEFIT 1,500 STUDENTS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES. EMSP; OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES TEACH CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS; IMPLEMENT A HIGH SCHOOL MENTOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CLUB AND GARDEN CLUB ALONG WITH A SUMMER PROGRAM; PROVIDE APPLIED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO ADULTS THROUGH 'HOME GARDENS PROGRAM; AND ADMINISTER A SUBGRANT PROGRAM FOR OTHER SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP SCHOOL-GARDEN BASED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES WILL BENEFIT THE STUDENTS TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TOPICS SUCH AS WATER, SOIL, CLIMATE AND ECOSYSTEMS AND GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THEMSELVES AS LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. OUTCOMES FOR ADULTS WILL BE TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOIL HEALTH, WATER EFFICIENCY, LEAD EXPOSURE REDUCTION, AND CLIMATE.