The Archer Academic Foundation presented a $1000 check to Kristin Fuqua of McConnell Middle School for “A Community Garden”! The grant award is for funds to begin a community garden. Kristin will start a school garden that will offer vegetables McConnell school cafeteria and the local food bank.

By working in the garden, she wants students to connect with their wider community. Students don’t always see the relevance of their learning. By creating a space for them to build and produce something for others, Kristin hopes that they will see how they can contribute to their community.

The garden will be an outdoor classroom that all three grade levels can use. Lessons that the garden can support include chemical analysis of soil, interactions of plants and animals, understanding photosynthesis, design and planning, and erosion control. The list of activities is endless. I also plan to work with the UGA Extension service in order to implement my plans.

Congratulations Kristin!