What an amazing spring it has been! There is so much PLG news to catch up on… Let’s start with a small garden in Brooklyn that made it to the local news:

Congratulations to 53K for their amazing garden ribbon cutting celebration last week. The school won a $5,000 grant from the Budding Botanists Organization to build and maintain an edible school garden. 53K was one of seven schools nationwide to win the award, and the only school in New York to do so. Students sang songs, delivered speeches, and took invited guests on a tour of their garden. In addition to City Councilman Carlos Menchaca being at the ceremony, local news covered the event with a segment found here. Thank you to Teachers Chris McKeon and Nicole Aniello, and Principal Heather Leykam for their dedication in making the school garden a reality!

More news to come!

Here is the press release and a photo of the 811X students with their “big check” from Apples4Ed. Paula Lucas and Sandy Helms, who run the school’s greenmarket, wrote the grant to start the “Be Healthy, Snack Smart” program. Congrats, 811X on your latest healthy eating venture!

Here is a photo of Greg at 811X this morning, helping to prepare for the Healthy Snack Program kickoff. The school was awarded a BIG check from Apples4ed to get the program started. More photos to come!

Congratulations to 370K’s Margaret Negrelli for being awarded New York Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year! To read more about her work with the Garden Gladiators and Zero Waste Warriors at the Jim Thorpe School, check out the article here.

What is happening in your school garden? What are you planting? What are you cooking? How are you composting? What workshops are you going to? Send us an update about your garden with a photo or two and we will share it here! Don’t forget to check the Grow to Learn NYC calendar for upcoming events like seed, seedling, and insect giveaways- and much more.