Erin Ahern, Sonia Saunders, Amy Hobbs, Jen Cipolla, Adam Domski and Peter Metrinko

The team’s creative teaching idea, “Growing to New Heights and Rooted in Literacy,” combines a garden and a library with the vision that together, they will help Skyline Middle School grow to new heights. The project aims to address the school’s literacy challenges using an authentic, meaningful and memorable approach by augmenting the school’s garden and amplifying its power to turn it into a living library and classroom. According to the educators, they will partner with the Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids organization and the students will work with them to create a student centered and student created garden that grows student-selected vegetables and fruits throughout the growing seasons to help feed the community and work with the school’s cafeteria program. During the initial phase, the Voya grant will be used to purchase two raised garden beds, soil, packaging for vegetables grown and harvested food, plant seeds and plugs, books, hand shovels, garden gloves and an outdoor whiteboard.