News - Grow Gardens at Eastview
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A classroom of third grade students at Eastview Elementary are one of only two classrooms in the state of Ohio to have the special opportunity to learn about plant life, gardening skills and more through a creative and engaging program created by the Little Green Thumb Foundation. Eastview third grade teacher Renee Delotel applied for and was selected to participate in the Little Green Thumb Foundation’s Fall Program, Grow 2026, which was generously funded by America the Beautiful Foundation. Over 1,600 teachers applied from across the country to participate in the unique educational program, with only 100 classrooms nationwide – two classrooms per state being selected.
During the structured seven-week gardening and STEM learning experience, students will gain knowledge about plant science, gardening, agriculture, healthy eating, and environmental stewardship. This is accomplished through hands-on activities utilizing classroom garden supplies, fun vegetable cartoon characters, student notebooks, posters, and videos provided by the Little Green Thumb Foundation. Students began the program in early October and planted their classroom garden shortly afterward. Various garden supplies such as grow lights, humidity containers, and heating mats were generously donated by parents. Families can also participate in the learning process through take-home Growums garden kits which contain all supplies necessary to grow the plants. Students can select one of two garden kit options. The pizza garden kit includes basil, bell pepper, oregano, and tomato plant seeds while the taco garden kit comes with seeds for lettuce, jalapeño, tomatoes, and cilantro.
Students enjoy the engaging, hands-on learning activities while taking care of their flourishing classroom gardens. At the end of the seven-week unit, students will not only have a stronger understanding of plant structures and growth but will also develop valuable gardening and other life skills that will benefit them outside of the classroom. A special thank you to Renee Delotel for her dedication and hard work to provide this exciting learning experience for her students!
