Memphis Learning Garden Initiative
The Kitchen Community (TKC) is a non-profit organization that builds Learning Gardens in Schools across the country. Our Learning Gardens are outdoor classrooms that create experiential learning opportunities for students, allow students to build a stronger relationship to fresh food, and add to the aesthetics of school yards with our accessible garden designs.
TKC was co-founded in 2011 by Hugo Matheson and Kimbal Musk with the mission to create community through food. Today there are over 200 Learning Gardens around the United States in Denver, Chicago and Los Angeles. In April 2015, The Kitchen Community broke ground in Memphis with a commitment to build 100 Learning Gardens at local schools in two years. This initiative will double the impact and number of school gardens already in Memphis. By November 2015, there will already be 30 Learning Gardens in Shelby County Schools, Achievement School District, and Catholic Jubilee Schools. This initiative is financially possible by a community of donors, foundations and grants.
Once a school receives a Learning Garden, the Memphis Education Team provides ongoing support. This support includes seasonal planting days at schools, follow-up training after a Learning Garden is built, and workshops hosted by TKC for teachers. The workshops give teachers the skills and knowledge to maintain their Learning Gardens and utilize them as outdoor classrooms that offer space for science, reading, music, math and other subjects.
This fall, the TKC Education Team will be conducting a planting day at all Learning Garden schools in Memphis. The workshop schedule for the 2015-2016 school year will focus on how to plant seeds and seedlings, harvesting techniques, worm composting, and winter activities.
Visit The Kitchen Community website for more information about the organization at TKC.org.
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