Ben Franklin Elementary School - Our 2022 Grant Recipient
19.10.2023 - 05:39
Cleveland, Ohio — Way back in 1904, a 5-acre community gardening program was built in Cleveland Ohio’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood. In 1922, the neighboring Ben Franklin Elementary School began to offer elementary-age students an education in growing food as well as the science involved in gardening. Unfortunately, in 1977 the school program was canceled. It was not revived until the 1990s when Ohio State University’s Extension agency, through their Master Gardener Program, resurrected the garden and renovated the old garden classroom. Over time, the Master Gardeners created and refined a complete 4th grade gardening curriculum.
Geoffrey Black and Pat Mraz are among several Master Gardeners who devote their time to Ben Franklin Elementary’s school garden. They applied for a Gardening Know How sponsorship to renovate and upgrade the school’s garden beds. In a garden that’s been around this long, there is always a need for upgrades.
Starting in spring each year, the school’s 4th graders, weather permitting, do hands-on planting of seedlings, cleaning up the garden beds and weeding every Thursday. On days when the weather prevents the kids from being outdoors, they still go to the gardening classroom where they learn subjects like soil health and pollination, looking through microscopes and assisted by Master Gardener volunteers. The students stay busy in the classroom working on their garden lessons and projects. During one winter session on grains, the students baked their own bread.
The gardens’ pathways are intentionally wide to allow safe access for everyone, particularly the children. The rhythm of the school garden is such that the new 4th graders plant the garden in the spring, and the upcoming 4th graders who start in
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