Ohio Ag Connection - Project Green Teacher to Nourish School Garden Concept

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Project Green Teacher to Nourish School Garden Concept
Ohio Ag Connection - 08/24/2016

School gardens have been called the ultimate hands-on outdoor classroom experience.

But despite their growing popularity, starting a school garden -- and keeping one going year after year -- can be a challenge, said Sue Hogan, 4-H educator for Ohio State University Extension.

That's why she's helping coordinate "Project Green Teacher," a weekly school garden educational program from September through November in Columbus.

"Often, people don't know how to start a school garden," Hogan said. "This series will offer a combination of technical information and guidance about how to approach administrators, how to get buy-in and how to get the community involved. It's all that 'how-to' information that will give participants a toolkit so they can go out, start a school garden, and keep it going for years to come."

The program will meet 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays starting Sept. 7 at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, also known as Waterman Farm, off Lane Avenue on The Ohio State University campus.

Both the farm and OSU Extension are part of the university's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Hogan is seeking 25 participants for the series, including teachers, school administrators, afterschool program personnel and community supporters -- even if from the same school.

"When you start any initiative, if you can involve more than one person, it's more sustainable," she said.

Course participants will also get free admission to OSU Extension's 2016 School Garden Conference on Oct. 7, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ohio State.

The fee for the course is $150, but Hogan said special funding from OSU Extension will provide nearly a total reimbursement for any participant who attends 10 of the program's 12 sessions. Hogan hopes to repeat the program in spring 2017, but the reimbursement funds will no longer be available.

Participants who complete the program will receive Project Green Teacher certification and 26 contact hours.

Details about each session are available at franklin.osu.edu/program-areas/school-enrichment/project-green-teacher.

Online registration with a credit card is available at Regonline.com/pgt2016. Anyone wanting more information or to register with a purchase order may contact Hogan at hogan.239@osu.edu.

Project Green Teacher is sponsored by OSU Extension and School Gardens of Ohio, which includes the Franklin Park Conservatory, the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District, Granville Exempted Village Schools, Slow Food Columbus, and Worthington City Schools.

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