Jessica Eves, Outstanding Educator

"Snuggle up and Read a Garden Book"

Project Description: As the Garden and Cooking Educator, I teach garden and cooking lessons to all of our TK-6 grade students. I use the Wild Wisdom Curriculum created by the Sage Garden Project, which includes ideas of using connected literature for each of the lessons. I send recorded readings of the books to teachers so they can play them for their students before they come for a lesson with me. Literacy for Life has funded us in the past for getting these books into the hands of our students. We would like to further our efforts by getting more books into the hands of our students by raffling off these books at our Snuggle Up and Read Event in March 2025. At this event we invite families to join us for a night of reading and literacy activities.

Barbara Tuyen

"Watch them "Grow"!!! Teaching kids the importance of agriculture literacy."

Project Description: Don Antonio Lugo High School agriculture/FFA program offers free field trips to PreK-6th grade students each year. As part of our commitment to teaching the importance of agriculture literacy, students from across our district and surrounding schools spend a day at the farm. FFA students see an average of 350+ PreK-6th grade students each year as part of our district ag literacy outreach program. These students have an opportunity to participate in engaging and fun hands on learning stations. In these learning stations, students learn about the benefits of planting a home garden, the lifecycle of a plant, the dairy and goat industry, and they even hand juice oranges while learning about the California citrus industry. Students also visit our farm animals and learn about the different breeds of cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens and horses. With the help of a literacy for life grant we will be able to develop this program even more.

Breanna Westenbroek

"Heartland LANE (Local Agriculture & Nutrition Education)"

Project Description: As part of our club, "Local Agriculture & Nutrition Education" I meet with students at the park every month to learn about local agricultural commodities and nutrition. Past experiences this year have included a Taste and Teach lesson on grapes, "Farming in a Glove" for students to take home and practice being farmers, agricultural book readings around the park, and crafting living necklaces. With this grant, I will be adding resources for more stations at the park for my students to participate in.

Chris Lavagnino

"The Bounty of My County"

Project Description: The top 3 commodities in Madera County are almonds, dairy, and grapes. For this project, I would like to expose my students to the crops, industry people, and resources in their community. Working with our local farm bureau, I will endeavor to make connections with representatives of our top three county commodities: almonds, dairy, and grapes. Additionally, students will work on various projects to help educate them on our local agricultural products.

Chryssa Relvas

"Flow & Grow Garden"

Project Description: I am working with students in grades 2nd-6th grade. Students will learn best practices to start and maintain a garden. Students will also enjoy and learn about the benefits to both their physical and mental health. The garden area is intended to be a place of learning as well as a place to enjoy a brain break and recharge our students. The focus will be on teaching the needs of the entire student, getting our hands dirty and moving!

Erica Matter

"Agriculture all around us"

Project Description: With this grant, we will be buying paint to beautify our school by creating agricultural murals around the walls at our school.

Erin Hansen

"Kids Love Cooking in the Garden"

Project Description: Lincoln students and I plant seasonal produce year-round in a beautiful garden with 8 raised beds surrounded by fruit trees and passion fruit vines. As a garden and culinary teacher, and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, my dream is to integrate the garden into my cooking curriculum. All 210 students at Lincoln get a cooking class called “Kids Love Cooking” once a month, utilizing VUSD's Harvest of the Month produce item. Classes are implemented in the classroom or cafeteria. Being awarded this grant, allows me to bring some of those classes out to the garden to prepare different recipes. We will be implementing an outdoor sink for rinsing fruits and veggies, a prep table for preparing ingredients, work tables for students, and ice trays to keep certain foods cool. “Kids Love Cooking in the Garden,” will allow students to harvest the produce, wash it right there in the garden space, and bring it back to their work stations to prepare it for the recipe of the day. This is a beautiful way to remind students where REAL food comes from and be part of the process of bringing their food from “farm” to table.

Frederic Mooradally

"Chicken Coop"

Project Description: Last year, we received a grant to build a chicken coop, and our project was a success! We are now selling eggs to our community and making an average of $150 per week. With the help of this grant, we can now focus on the building of a garden to produce vegetables and add them to our products that we sell.

Jennifer McClellan

"Growing Minds: Cultivating Literacy and Agriculture at Pierside"

Project Description: The next phase of our garden project will focus on incorporating literacy into the garden. Now that we’ve completed the garden beds, our goal is to create an immersive educational experience by combining reading and storytelling with nature. Through carefully curated books and interactive activities, students will learn about agriculture, the environment, and the importance of sustainable practices. Storytime sessions will take place right in the garden, where children can read and engage with stories related to nature. They will have the opportunity to explore their surroundings firsthand, fostering a deeper connection between literacy and the world around them.

This hands-on approach encourages both curiosity and a love for reading, while also helping students develop a greater appreciation for the environment. It’s a wonderful way to integrate learning across multiple areas in a fun and engaging way!

Julie Cates

"Linwood Eagles-Space Farmers, 3.0!"

Project Description: Linwood sixth graders have been integrating agriculture and space exploration for four years in a project called "Nuggets on Mars," in which students raise poultry on the Red Planet. We would like to expand our project by purchasing three aeroponic kits from the National Ag in the Classroom store as well as other supplies listed in our budget. We currently utilize aquaponics to support a closed loop system of agriculture creating a food source for our poultry production on the planet Mars. Previously, our students have tested different soil compositions, using NASA projections on Mars’ soil and proportion math to create land based agriculture. The students have also had minimal experience with hydroponics, and so we are adding the vertical gardening component as this adheres to the tightly confined areas associated with space travel. This grant seeks to replenish and supplement materials to continue our experimentation.

Katie Gill

"Mentoring Nutrition"

Project Description: I teach a middle school Food Science class to 7th and 8th graders. Our middle school is located on an elementary school campus (TK-6th McKinley Elementary). With this grant, my middle school Food Science students will pick a California commodity to study they then will then create a lesson to teach the younger grades about the commodity. We will host lessons in the elementary classrooms about the commodities and do food tastings.

Katie Kidder

"Dunham's Compost Crew"

Project Description: I would like to start a composting project at Dunham School. This project would require the sixth grade students to plan, implement and measure the impact of composting on the school community. Students will be weighing trash before and after the start of the program to show reduction of waste. Students will be educating younger students on the composting process and benefits for soil and its ability to sequester carbon and support our environment.

Kevin Jordan

"Finding Delicious"

Project Description: In our project we will bring students together to learn about the incredible crops and foods produced in California. Students will prepare various food items to be tasted, shared, and explored. We will work collaboratively with our Culinary program to focus on food from different perspectives.

Kim Needham

"Book Buddy Pollinator Garden"

Project Description: Our 1st grade class partners with a 5th grade class to maintain and grow our school garden. The area next to our school garden is shaded by a group of trees, we will beautify that space so students can sit and read or a teacher can share a lesson. With this grant, we will be including a bird bath with greenery that will attract pollinators. The pollinators will be helpful to the existing fruit trees we have. We will also be surrounding that area with seating options, such as benches, stools, or big rocks.

Kristen Strong

"The Sensory Garden"

Project Description: With the funds from this grant, I will be starting a magical sensory garden in our TK/Preschool play yard that anyone in our school can access when needed. Our magical garden will be a feast for the senses! We will include plants like lavendar, rosemary, sage, and mint for sense of smell and taste! We will include sand play, textured stepping stones, and lamb ear plants for sense of touch. We will also include creative music instruments and wind chimes for sense of hearing.

Lisa Dean

"Cast Aways"

Project Description: I will be further developing Fort Jones Elementary's garden and it's soil quality. I initially wanted to go "big" and create a compost system with our school's kitchen. However, after carful consideration, I quickly realized I need to start on a much smaller scale. I will be improving the soil quality in the existing garden beds with worms and their castings. We currently have 6 raised beds and with this grant, I will be purchasing worm farms kits.

Monica Baker

"TJHS School Farm"

Project Description: This grant will help provide my Ag Club a place to grow and care for plants and small animals. Ag club was a brand new club last year at Turlock Junior High School. In this short time, we have designated a farm area, fenced it in, and are currently working towards installing areas for student activities. One component of our farm is to add a space for small animals such as rabbits and chickens. This grant will allow us to purchase the materials needed to begin this portion of the farm. Our goal is to bring agriculture education to our Junior High School students and provide them hands-on learning opportunities to learn and explore agriculture related fields.

Morgan Henson

"Sequoia Union Culinary Exposure Program"

Project Description: The "Sequoia Union Culinary Exposure" project aims to address the lack of access to fresh, local produce and hands-on cooking experiences in our rural K-8 school district, where no grocery stores exist. This initiative is crucial because many of our students have limited exposure to a variety of fresh foods, which affects their understanding of nutrition, agriculture, and the role of food in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By providing students with opportunities to cook and taste new dishes, the project seeks to improve food literacy, foster healthy eating habits, and create connections between food and local agricultural practices. By the end of this project, we aim to not only improve food literacy but also instill a deeper appreciation for local agriculture and inspire a lifelong interest in healthy eating and sustainable practices. This project will give our students the tools to make healthier food choices, understand the broader context of agriculture, and develop essential life skills that go beyond the classroom.

Natacha Costa

"Farm to Table Camp: Labeling Farm"

Project Description: SCUSD hosts a summer program called Farm to Table Camp where around 100 students from the surrounding community (both SCUSD and non-SCUSD students) come to learn about agriculture, gardening, and nutrition on our 11 acre district farm. To further educate the students, we hope to label the farm by adding signs to the garden beds, farm fields, and surrounding areas. These signs would include information about the items that are being planted there and would be switched out based on the season. Whether students and the community are going there on a tour or they are doing self-guided tours, they will be able to learn more about the local produce growing in our district farm.

Natalia Bahena

"Laying Flock Project"

Project Description: This kindergarten project is a hands-on learning experience where students will hatch and raise chickens, eventually growing them into laying hens. Starting in the spring, we will order fertilized eggs, place in an incubator for about three weeks. During this time, we will monitor the incubation process, learning about the life cycle of a chicken and egg care.

After the chicks hatch, the students will help feed, water, and care for them as they grow. As the chicks mature into pullets, they will take responsibility for their daily care, observing changes in the chicks' development.

The project teaches students about the life cycle of animals, responsibility, and where eggs come from, while encouraging teamwork and nurturing skills. By the end of the project, the hens will be ready to transition to a coop and the students will have gained valuable hands-on experience with animal care and farming.

Rebecca Lott

"Mathematical Gardens"

Project Description: Through the use of a sustainable school garden, students will have exposure to real world math while enjoying the experience of working with their hands to plant, care for and harvest a variety of produce. Additionally, students will research through gardening books and on-line resources to determine which plants will grow best under the available conditions for our school site.

As permitted by our district I would also like to involve parents and members of the community to contribute expertise and help students to experience the real life skills related to learning out to grow their own food.

Shannon Taylor

"Sustainable Sprouts: Teaching Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship"

Project Description: The School Garden and Farm-to-Table Program aims to engage students in growing, harvesting, and preparing their own food while learning about sustainability, environmental science, and nutrition. The project involves creating raised beds on school grounds for planting various crops, where students will work in teams to learn soil preparation and gardening techniques.

Students will rotate through learning stations focused on botany, sustainability, and nutrition, covering topics like plant life cycles, water conservation, and healthy eating. The program integrates with the curriculum, linking math (calculating area and yield), science (experimenting with plant growth), and social studies (discussing agriculture’s historical impact).

Seasonal farm-to-table events will allow students to harvest their produce and collaborate with cafeteria staff to create meals, while cooking workshops will emphasize the value of locally sourced food. Community involvement is encouraged through partnerships with local farms and opportunities for families to volunteer in garden maintenance and fundraising. This program fosters a deeper understanding of food systems, sustainability, and healthy living among students, while strengthening community ties.

Suzanne Squires

"Garden Makeover"

Project Description: Our middle school garden needs a makeover. It was originally created with drip irrigation only (no PVC) and over the years the gophers have destroyed the irrigation system making it impossible to repair. The goal for the project is to properly redo the irrigation system, rebuild and reconfigure dilapidated garden beds close to the classroom and create a relaxing native garden area with a fountain at the back of the garden for all students to enjoy. A compost station, working tables for floral design and potting and a rainwater recovery station are also a part of the overall plan.

Travis Cardoso

"Hydroponic Foods: A Growing Tradition"

Project Description: This student-led hydroponics project aims to design and construct a self-sustaining hydroponic system to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs. The system will utilize a recirculating water system, natural lighting, and nutrient-rich solutions to provide an optimal growing environment without the need for soil.

The goals of this project are to teach students about sustainable agriculture, food production, and the science behind hydroponics. Students will be responsible for all aspects of the project, including system design, construction, maintenance, pest control and monitoring plant growth.

The grant funds will be used to purchase the necessary equipment and supplies, such as grow lights, water pumps, and nutrient solutions. This hands-on learning experience will empower students to become active participants in addressing local food security and environmental sustainability challenges.