We’re excited to celebrate a former Barnsdale student and Life Scout, Ms. Cora Maggin, who, over the summer, completed an impressive project focused on enhancing our PreK Side Yard areas to create an interactive environment that teachers could use to educate and inspire their students while increasing local biodiversity.
Ms. Maggin was awarded a $500 grant from BLAST (Building Leadership Around Sustainable Transformation) and support from local businesses like Schroeder’s Garden Center, Ace Hardware, Home Depot, and Schillings Lumber. She led 25 volunteers who contributed 302 hours over six months. Together, they built tinker tables, an outdoor sensory table, planters, benches, a raised garden bed with twenty-two species of native plants, and one "bug hotel." This project not only enhances learning but also promotes local biodiversity. We are so proud of her leadership and grateful for her dedication to this wonderful project!
Many PreK students have enjoyed the new garden this year by engaging in gardening chores such as weekly watering, fine motor skill work in garden tending, and learning about and setting up a water bottle self-watering system. The PreK teachers and students look forward to continuing to enjoy this space with some fun activities this fall!