Cultivating Kids Grant

A Tampa Bay Estuary Program Bay Mini-Grant was awarded to Manatee County Friends of Extension through the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program for a youth education project that will take place at Anna Maria Elementary School.

Project Summary

The Anna Maria Elementary School “Cultivating Kids” project will consist of several gardens: a sensory garden for the primary grades (Kindergarten through Second grades), a butterfly garden (Third Grade), a vegetable garden (Fourth Grade) and a Peace Garden Wildlife Habitat with a nature trail (all grades).   The fifth graders will build rain barrels to install on campus and sell to raise money and will journal the process and create a web presentation.  The curriculum will include the Junior Master Gardener’s Literacy in the Garden for the 4th graders.  All 317 students will be using the outdoor gardens as their experiential classroom.  The centerpiece of our project is conservation of our water and our habitat and the importance of preserving and protecting our beautiful bay.  This 9-acre campus is located on Anna Maria Island and occupies over 300 feet of shoreline on the lower Tampa Bay.  Native plant gardens will be replacing turf areas, using Florida Yards and Neighborhoods principles as a guide.  We want Anna Maria Elementary School to serve as a model for other schools’ campus landscaping.  These outdoor classrooms will provide us with the opportunity to educate not only the students, but also their parents and the entire community.

Photos

Photos of the various aspects of the Cultivating Kids program can be viewed here:

• Edibles Garden
• Luncheon at the Beach Bistro Restaurant
• Sensory Garden
• Sunflower Garden
• Butterfly Garden
• Peace Garden
• America's Anniversary Garden
• Hand-painted Rain barrels

Videos

Students and teachers have created three short films that provide insight into the success of the Cultivating Kids project.  These movies are in QuickTime format.

• The Vegetable Garden
• The Butterfly Garden
• Rain Barrels
  Also, see rain barrel pictures.

 

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