Manatee County Extension is "Cultivating Kids" with new project
Fourth-graders at Anna Maria Elementary School in Holmes Beach recently learned a tasty lesson about the value of hard work and patience, enjoying vegetables they’d grown themselves with help from the Cultivating Kids program and a local restaurant.
Under the direction of Master Gardener Christine Callahan, children grew a host of herbs and vegetables for several months with help from teachers Marcia Brockway and Joan Sackett. On May 8 the crops were picked and the next day the students were treated to a special lunch prepared by the Beach Bistro restaurant, owned by Anna Maria alumna Susan Timins.
Administered by the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program, Cultivating Kids includes activities for other grades – kindergarteners through second-grade students have established a sensory garden; third-graders planted a butterfly garden and fifth-graders will build rain barrels to install on campus, said Kurt Rowe, coordinator for the Mantee County FYN. A wildlife habitat with nature trail was established for all students to enjoy.
The curriculum also includes a Junior Master Gardener’s Literacy in the Garden program for all students in the school, Rowe said. It teaches students about water conservation and the importance of preserving and protecting natural resources.
Cultivating Kids is funded by a Tampa Bay Estuary Program mini-grant, awarded to the Manatee County Friends of Extension through FYN.
Visit the Cultivating Kids Web site
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