Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
School gardens are extremely beneficial for students, providing a place for unstructured and active learning, with this hands-on approach to garden programs being shown to enhance interest in science concepts. However, school garden leaders (e.g., teachers, administrators, and school garden coordinators) face a multitude of challenges in both maintaining these gardens and using them for instructional spaces. Grassroots Gardens of Western NY (GGWNY), a non-profit organization working to support community and school gardens, provides a potential solution for these issues. My research examines how GGWNY addresses the support needs of school garden leaders. The research question guiding this project asks: what are the challenges that school garden leaders face in ensuring the continuation of these gardens and what is GGWNY’s role in this? Data collection methods include a literature review on the support needs of garden leaders and analysis of key informant interviews and survey data. Key themes emerged from this analysis, from which I pulled out three critical ways that GGWNY’s efforts have addressed school garden needs: access to tools, knowledge of gardening, and participation. My research highlights the importance of all three, looking at the specific challenges associated with each, as well as the changes that have occurred since GGWNY’s involvement. In future research, I will build upon this project to explore the impact of the nonprofit industrial complex and how school garden support needs, including money and tools, are only addressed as long as funding lasts.
Recommended Citation
Whittaker, Arianna, "136-Supporting School Garden Leaders: The Role of Grassroots Gardens of Western NY" (2024). GREAT Day Posters. 32.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2024/posters-2024/32
136-Supporting School Garden Leaders: The Role of Grassroots Gardens of Western NY
School gardens are extremely beneficial for students, providing a place for unstructured and active learning, with this hands-on approach to garden programs being shown to enhance interest in science concepts. However, school garden leaders (e.g., teachers, administrators, and school garden coordinators) face a multitude of challenges in both maintaining these gardens and using them for instructional spaces. Grassroots Gardens of Western NY (GGWNY), a non-profit organization working to support community and school gardens, provides a potential solution for these issues. My research examines how GGWNY addresses the support needs of school garden leaders. The research question guiding this project asks: what are the challenges that school garden leaders face in ensuring the continuation of these gardens and what is GGWNY’s role in this? Data collection methods include a literature review on the support needs of garden leaders and analysis of key informant interviews and survey data. Key themes emerged from this analysis, from which I pulled out three critical ways that GGWNY’s efforts have addressed school garden needs: access to tools, knowledge of gardening, and participation. My research highlights the importance of all three, looking at the specific challenges associated with each, as well as the changes that have occurred since GGWNY’s involvement. In future research, I will build upon this project to explore the impact of the nonprofit industrial complex and how school garden support needs, including money and tools, are only addressed as long as funding lasts.