By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Texas Farm Bureau named the Learning from the Ground Up garden grant recipients for the 2020-2021 school year.

Grants were awarded to schools and educational programs across the Lone Star State for their garden projects to increase agricultural literacy and awareness.

Although the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has altered classroom instruction, schools and educational programs can bring agriculture to life in creative ways with the help of the garden grants.

“Food production and learning can happen anywhere, whether students are in the classroom or learning from a distance,” Jordan Walker, TFB director of Educational Outreach, said. “The hands-on experiences from the selected projects help students better understand agriculture and food production and how that connects to their everyday life.”

Projects include establishing or improving school gardens, raised beds, greenhouses and outdoor classrooms that provide students with hands-on, experiential learning about agriculture and food production.

Garden grant recipients for 2021 include the following:

  • Alpine Christian School
  • Anson Jones Middle School
  • Avalon School
  • Blanco Elementary School
  • Brady Elementary
  • Channing ISD
  • Chillicothe High School
  • Colonial Hills United
  • Methodist School
  • Cotton Center Elementary
  • Crestview Elementary School
  • Dodd Elementary
  • Dr. John Folks Middle School
  • Elkhart Intermediate
  • Evant High School
  • First Baptist Academy
  • Full Armor Christian Academy
  • Fulton 3-5 Learning Center
  • Grace Christian Academy
  • Grapeland High School
  • Incarnate Word Academy
  • James Reese Career
  • and Technical Center
  • Jerry Knight STEM Academy
  • John Paul Stevens High School
  • Liberty Hill Junior High School
  • Lindale High School
  • Llano Junior High School
  • Mildred Junior High School
  • Miss May Vernon Elementary
  • Morton Ranch High School
  • Nolan Catholic High School
  • Oakwood Elementary
  • PISD High School
  • Sam Rayburn High School
  • South Elementary
  • St. Anthony Catholic School
  • St. Mary’s Catholic School
  • Stockton Junior High School
  • Stonewall Elementary School
  • Tom Bean Middle School
  • Washington Early Childhood
  • Westfield High School
  • Wimberley High School (Scudder Campus)

The next application process will open in fall 2021.

For more information about garden grants, other educational opportunities and Ag in the Classroom materials, visit texasfarmbureau.org/aitc or email edoutreach@txfb.org.