Heather Gillespie and Maria Campagna

Gillespie’s and Campagna’s innovative teaching project, “The Living Classroom,” expands their existing four raised beds into a comprehensive school garden that serves all grade levels and extends the classroom into the natural world, placing outdoor education at the center of student learning. Expansion will include additional beds for herb gardens, themed gardens and a pollinator habitat that supports food production and encourages visits from pollinators, along with age-appropriate tools for student use. A small greenhouse and storage area will allow students to sow seeds, grow plant starts and engage in year-round learning. Designed as a living classroom, the garden will support hands-on experiences in ecology, environmental stewardship and local food systems, strengthening students’ connection to the land and providing a lasting foundation for outdoor education. The Voya grant will be used to purchase a small greenhouse and storage shed to support seed starting and extend the growing season and securely store tools and supplies.