A Special Visit from U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten
It was a beautiful morning in the West Elementary garden as U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten and her staff visited to see firsthand the impact of H.O.P.E. Gardens programs. We were grateful to have West Elementary teachers Mitch Dahlstrom, who also serves on our H.O.P.E. Gardens team and manages this garden, and STEAM teacher Regan Koontz […]
Thursday Nights in the Garden: Growing Food, Families, and Friendships
Sun, Green, Heat, Weeds, Watering Cans, Laughter, Sweat, Radishes, Conversations, little kids, parents, Seeds, Peppers, Mint, teens, Spanish and English words all swirling together over fifteen garden beds for twenty, thirty, even forty minutes. It all then unwinds in departing footsteps, two by two, and slamming car doors as the sun slants lower and longer, […]
Carrot Detectives on the Case!
By Kathy Bego, Garden Educator This month, our 3rd and 4th graders put on their investigator caps to uncover the secrets of carrots! Like true detectives, they used their key sleuthing skills—curiosity, attention to detail, and perseverance—to explore this vibrant vegetable. 🔍 The Investigation Begins: Andrea guided older students through a colorful slide presentation, reintroducing […]
Planting Seeds of Health: Learning, Tasting, and Growing with H.O.P.E. Gardens
Outside, snow still blankets our school gardens! While the winter weather slowed things down outdoors, inside, students in 58 Wyoming and Godwin STEAM classrooms stayed busy learning about nutrition, gardening, and healthy eating with H.O.P.E. Gardens’ teachers. This month, first and second graders focused on “eating the rainbow,” discovering how different colored fruits and vegetables […]