The Merchantville School’s Garden Club has been making remarkable strides towards fostering environmental stewardship and education within our community. The group, led by fifth grade teacher Jennifer Smith, has engaged in several hands-on and educational activities.
• The Garden Club plants and maintains a beautiful garden plot at the Community Garden, working closely with the Merchantville Green Team and Incredible Edible organizations.
• Look for vibrant spring blooms in town – the result of the Garden Club’s planting of bulbs! These colorful additions not only enhance the beauty of our community but also contribute to the local ecosystem, providing essential resources for pollinators and fostering biodiversity.
• Last year, the Garden Club set up and planted a vertical container garden with cherry tomatoes, which was purchased by Incredible Edible (IE) Merchantville. IE believes that reviving our hands-on knowledge of food – how to grow, cook, and preserve – is essential to a sustainable future. The Garden Club is considering moving the vertical garden to the kindergarten playground so that younger students can be involved in its care.
• A hands-on educational journey exploring the diverse world of herbs took place last fall. Students gained not only practical gardening skills, but also developed a deeper appreciation for the natural world and importance of sustainable practices.
• Students have learned the importance of composting and participated in a hands-on workshop led by environmental scientist Ron Smith.
• IE Merchantville founder Joan Brennan plans to join the club at their April 25th meeting to share the story of the “Anywhere Farm” book by Phyllis Root and IE Merchantville’s award winning Innovative Action video presented by Sustainable Jersey in 2021.
Merchantville School is happy to announce that, with the help of the Merchantville Green Team, it has officially registered with the Sustainable Jersey for Schools organization. This significant step underscores the school’s commitment to sustainability and sets the stage for further collaborative efforts to promote environmental awareness and action within our schools and beyond. Looking ahead, the school is preparing to write its first grant proposal to support its first sustainable project.
This marks a pivotal moment in the school’s journey towards creating a greener, more sustainable future for Merchantville. With the support of our community and the dedication of its students, Merchantville School is confident that it can make a meaningful impact and inspire positive change!