NEXT WED 7/12: ARDEN to talk about URBAN SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS

Wednesday Night July 12th SOW with Garden Crusader: Arden Bucklin-Sporer.
She will give a presentation and slide show on urban school garden programs in San Francisco and discuss how to find funding for yourself and your garden program.

DIRECTOR/ Preparing the Ground; the San Francisco Green Classroom Project
Develops and directs a non-profit organization dedicated to rejuvenating San Francisco public school gardens in order to use them as outdoor classrooms, linking and integrating California’s core curriculum using nutrition and science as part of the garden curriculum.

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL GARDENS/ SFUSD
Works closely with Facilities Management of SFUSD to promote and sustain school garden programs.

When Arden Bucklin-Sporer decided to make an outdoor classroom out of a San Francisco Public school’s neighboring empty lot, the gardening program was a new experience for almost all of the students. With approval of the principal and a small grant from the parent association, Arden began a school gardening program in 1995. This beautiful garden grows organic flowers and vegetables all year long and is an outdoor classroom used by all the elementary school teachers of Alice Fong Yu Alternative School. Children have the opportunity to learn first hand about nutrition, botany, entomology, horticulture and cooking. The teachers have found interesting and compelling ways of integrating core curriculum and standards.

In 2003, Arden created the position of Director of Educational Gardens in the San Francisco Unified School District, working closely with Buildings and Grounds, Landscape Department, Student Health, and school principals. She is working to raise the awareness and profile of school gardens, link the coordinators of these sites with available resources, promote ecoliteracy, and grow healthier children in this district.

Alice Fong Yu Alternative School Garden continues to be a model for San Francisco Public School Gardens, and Arden continues to work to support, strengthen and sustain garden based education in the San Francisco Unified School District.