Growing our School Garden in the South Ward of Newark
The Seek Academy school garden seeks to promote positive environmental change in Newark as well as provide access to nutritious, organic, real food in an area where there is limited access. We are Newark, New Jersey!
Leader
Uzma Chowdhury
Location
100 Aldine Street Newark , NJ 07112
About the project
We are transforming an abandoned lot in the South Ward into a thriving school garden that provides outdoor experiences and cheap, real, organic food in a neighborhood where it is largely unavailable. Our scholars and staff are working hard to create this garden that will beautify and sustain our corner of Newark for years to come.
The Steps
- Week 1: Build classroom benches and pre-fab shed
- Week 2: Install benches and shed. Fill shed with supplies and tools
- Week 3: Install rain barrels and hoses for irrigation
- Week 4: Fill beds with soil and sow with seeds
- Week 5: Begin in-class instruction with our new Garden Teacher!
Why we‘re doing it
The South Ward of Newark is riddled with vacant lots and homes--especially the block across from our school. Instead of having children look out their classroom windows at old, burned out, abandoned homes, we are hoping they can look at gardens they planted themselves, where communities can come together to share fresh, real, cheap organic food in a place where that is hard to find, and to make Newark as beautiful as we know it can be.