The AZ Eagles adolescents have broken ground on what will soon be Keystone's new community garden! Construction has begun on a 1,444 sq. ft. plot of land near our field, and our community came together on Monday, October 31st for a land acknowledgment ceremony. Our campus garden will serve as an outdoor learning environment for students in Children's House through 8th grade. Students are involved in every step of the project including planning, clearing the land, constructing beds, soil preparation, irrigation, planting, harvesting, maintenance, scheduling, and community partnerships.
Ongoing learning objectives and outcomes for the garden include gains in nutritional knowledge/awareness, improved eating habits, and farm to table principles. Our students will engage in inquiry, exploration, and discovery as they practically apply their new and existing knowledge in the areas of science, engineering (design), mathematics, social studies, and art. The garden work will foster collaborations between various grade levels and community members, such as our landscape architect and our master gardener volunteers. All classrooms will benefit from the produce and flowers cultivated in the garden. Additionally, the AZ Eagles would eventually like to start Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) baskets through the AZ Eagles Marketplace as a Microeconomy program fundraiser.
We've already received a generous seed grant from Native Seed Search, a Tucson-based non-profit specializing in conservation of seeds native to the Sonoran Desert. We have recently submitted a grant through Toshiba America Foundation to cover $6,300 in expenses and will receive word on receiving the award in mid-February. If you are interested in lending us your gardening time and talents, we'll announce opportunities for volunteers to get involved in the near future. Keystone green thumbs unite!