From the Buncombe County Extension Master Gardeners
Press release
During the past school year, twelve public schools in Buncombe County were awarded a total of over $5,000 by the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers (EMGVs). The grants were made available through their School Gardening Grants program. Since the program’s inception in 2007, Buncombe County EMGVs have awarded almost $25,000 in grants.
The School Gardening Grants program, which includes funding along with on-site garden education, is unique to Buncombe County EMGVs. During the 2014-5 school year, the program reached more than 1,800 students, 160 faculty members, and 200 community volunteers with both money and training. “Helping our local schools introduce gardening to kids is one of the most meaningful things we do!” said Sally Wheeler, EMGV and co-chairman of the School Gardening Grants program.
School garden projects included building raised beds for vegetables, establishing pollinator gardens, growing produce to be sent to MANNA Food Bank and a mobile food market going to local communities in need of healthy food options, creating a rain garden to deal with erosion, and many other initiatives. The students learned hands-on, research based, horticulture with the support of the EMGVs funding and on-site educational support.
Throughout the growing season, students were exposed to different vegetables and fruits, which, research shows, increases the chances of their choosing to eat those and other nutritional foods. They learned the importance of pollinators in the gardens as well as the roles beneficial insects play in a healthy, sustainable garden. Through working in the school gardens, they learned to foster stewardship for the environment. School gardens offer a practical, real-life, understanding of science, math, writing, planning, and social concepts. They also allow students to experience the benefits of teamwork and patience. Students learned both the practical aspects of horticulture as well as the joy of it.
The grants were available to all public city, county and charter schools within Buncombe County from pre-K through high school. To receive an award, school representatives submitted grant applications. The EMGVs selected the programs to be awarded grants for the year. The total amount awarded was $5,482 for the 2014-5 school year. In addition to providing funds, EMGVs worked closely with the schools who received the grants.
The grants are made available through a variety of fundraising initiatives held by the Buncombe County EMGVs each year.
About the North Carolina Extension Master Gardeners
Master Gardeners support the mission of North Carolina Cooperative Extension by educating residents about safe, effective and sustainable gardening practices that grow healthy people, gardens, landscapes, and communities. Their vision is a healthier world through environmental stewardship.The 125 active Buncombe County EMGVs work in concert with Alison Arnold, County Extension Agent, Agriculture-Consumer Horticulture. The mission of the local EMGVs is to provide research-based urban horticulture education and gardening support to county residents.
If you would like more information about this topic, please call the Extension Offices at 828-255-5522, or email Alison Arnold at Alison.arnold@ncsu.edu.
The free grants as reeerfd to in the television commercials are need based meaning it is based on a percentage of the family income and savings. In addition, the government grant is only good for the first undergraduate degre but evaporates when someone goes for graduate school. The most a federal government grant will give is $4310 for the upcoming 2007-2008 school year if a person has an EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) of 0. I will include some free resources in locating free money for college.First, the college’s financial aid office and website has a list of private scholarships offered from outside organizations and companies. Sometimes a college major’s website will list scholarships, too.Second, the public library has a book listing scholarships with some not even listed on the web.Third, fill out the FAFSA form. It will bring need based government grants and college scholarships. It is to be filled out each year January 1 for the upcoming fall semester or quarter. It also can bring a work study grant which can bring money and valuable work experience.Finally, I recommend joining several free membership scholarship search websites, but the best I have located is Scholarship Experts since they have a very thorough and lengthy survey to complete compared to Fastweb. There are scholarships for a variety of things including ethnicity, clubs, hobbies, and even wearing duct tape to the high school prom. Most are updated on a regular basis. Most offer a customized search based on information entered onto a form on the website.Good luck!