VHCSF awards 2014-15 grants including one for a community garden

The board of directors of the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation has awarded 13 grants totaling $61,000 to the eight schools in the Vestavia Hills School System and to the Board of Education.

The Foundation currently has a grant-making endowment of more than $2.2 million. Since providing its first grants in 1999, the Foundation has awarded $728,000 to Vestavia Hills City Schools and the Board of Education.

Grants awarded this year will provide schools with curriculum enhancements for reading, math and science; technology-related equipment; and professional development for teachers. In addition, the Foundation’s $28,000 grants to the Board of Education will provide training opportunities for every teacher in the district to further integrate technology in classroom.

The Foundation awarded Pizitz Middle School $1500 for a community garden. They will be creating an environmental club of sixth through eighth graders that will be responsible for the garden as well as a recycling program. Teachers Phil Vander Camp and Kelly Sorrell will lead the group.

They will begin with phase 1, the Pirate's Cove, which is an interior courtyard. They will build raised beds, allowing access for special needs students as well as other students. They will also have vertical gardens along the walls and a rain barrel, composter, and possibly a worm farm.

 “Students will plant and grow various vegetables, herbs and flowers,” Sorrell said. “We plan to share our harvest with the entire school, either through the lunchroom or a stand.”

With continued funding, they hope to build beds outside the school gates for community groups to use. Sorrell said they are trying to arrange for the author of Farm To School to come speak to the community in order to build support and interest. They will also incorporate recycling and composting into the project.

“Our goals are to increase student awareness of where food comes from, the satisfaction many find in gardening, and to improve student food choices in favor of healthy foods,” Sorrell said. “So many math, science, and history skills are utilized in gardening and recycling. Keeping a journal of our success and failures will hopefully increase writing skills, as well as researching issues that always arise.”

For a complete list of the grants awarded this year, visit vestaviafoundation.org.