Two Midlands schools receive grants for on-campus gardens

IRMO, S.C. (WIS) - Two Lexington-Richland School District Five schools have received garden grants.

Ballentine Elementary School and Leaphart Elementary School STEAM Magnet schools received the Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant.

“This grant will allow us to expand our gardening program and teach students many valuable lessons related to nutrition, sustainable gardening, and green economics,” Leaphart Elementary School Principal Courtney Sims said.

The grants provide awarded schools the opportunity to create an on-campus garden for the first time.

“I am so excited about this project and how it is accessible to all of our students,” added Ballentine Elementary School Principal Robin Bright.

It also gives schools with existing gardens the chance to transform their gardens.

The grant money also funds edible learning spaces in non-school environments that support children’s programming such as community gardens, libraries, museums, or after-school programs.

Since the launch of the Garden Grant program in 2011, the Whole Kids Foundation has awarded funding for more than 8,000 edible gardens.

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