Campus Garden Project

2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

In an effort to promote water-wise landscaping while providing a biodiverse habitat for local birds, Grant High School students Alex Thao and Harmony Xiong designed a garden project which included several different drought-tolerant species that would provide nectar and food sources for species such as Anna’s hummingbird and Western Meadowlark. In addition, their design placed the garden near the outflow of a downspout off the roof, thus utilizing and slowing the flow the storm water. The original design proposed the garden in Harmony’s yard, but they were unable to build it there. While Harmony and Alex remained in distance learning, their classmates, Brianna Garcia and Alexander Martin helped find a place at school that was quite suitable and put in the plants, which included a Crape Myrtle tree, several Salvia species and bunch grasses. The students also plan to add signage to the garden to educate others on campus about the plantings and their benefits. This is a great example of students working together to accomplish a project despite the circumstances of COVID-19.

Promoting Fair Trade and Reusable Products

2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

When Grant High School students Faith Xiong, Nicholas Vang, and Tralisa Cheng started researching environmental issues and sustainability, they learned about Fair Trade certification, and that it is a way to make a conscious choice to support responsible companies, empower workers, and protect watersheds. They knew they wanted to do a project to promote the fair trade industry. They also knew they wanted to promote the use of reusable products to reduce the waste from single-use plastics, styrofoam, etc. They proposed a unique project that allowed them to do both. The students created coffee mugs for their teachers with their own original artwork and environmental messages. With the reusable mugs, they provided Fair Trade coffee and attached info cards that described the fair trade mission and benefits and encouraged recipients to support fair trade products. Their project raised awareness about Fair Trade, promoted reusable products, and expressed deep appreciation for their teachers working hard through distance learning in a pandemic.

Pollinator DIY Craft Kits

2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

Erica Siriouthay Jaephin Vue, Tayonna Smith, students at Grant High School, are concerned about the decline of pollinators. As they researched the topic, they realized that many people don’t really understand the important role pollinators play in agriculture and the ecosystem as a whole. To address these issues, the team initiated a creative project to raise awareness about pollinators, the threats they face, and how people could help. Realizing that more people were spending time at home during COVID-19 and looking for activities to do with their family during quarantine, the team decided to put together DIY craft kits. Each kit would include eco-friendly, sustainably sourced materials and instructions to make a stuffed, crocheted bee, as well as information about pollinators and a link to a webpage with more info on native bees and pollinator- friendly plants. The team also set up an Instagram where kids could post pics of their completed bees and create a “buzz” around the topic of pollinators. The kits, called “Bumbable” (combo of “Bumblebee” and “capable/ sustainable”) provide parents and children with a fun, hands- on project that introduces an important environmental issue.

Tree Planting Project

2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

Grant High School Students Wendy Mora Cervantes and Cherish Jackson proposed a Caring for Our Watersheds project that was straightforward, yet had multiple benefits. With their tree planting project, they were able to plant several different species of trees which would provide shade, help reduce the heat- island effect in urban areas, absorb CO2, and sequester carbon. As the students were not on campus for most of the year due to COVID-19, they planted these in their own yards. This will actually help ensure the trees’ survival as the students will be able to access and care for them during the first several months as they get established. Not only a source of shade and fruit, but also a source of pride as Wendy and Cherish beautify their neighborhood and make a simple, positive addition to their environment. Caring for Our Watersheds funding helped purchase the trees, soil, and basic materials for planting and staking the new trees.

Urban Tree Planting

2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

Anh Nguyen and Nicholas Vang, students in Grant High School’s GEO academy, are concerned about climate change. They live in a highly urbanized area, with little natural vegetation, and therefore wanted to add elements to the landscape that might help minimize the effects of climate change. They did some research and learned that doubling Sacramento’s urban tree canopy has the potential to remove thousands of tons of Carbon dioxide annually. The students decided to plant trees in their community, as they would absorb CO2, provide shade, and help reduce the heat-island effect. As they were choosing different species to plant, they decided to also include apple trees that would provide fresh fruit to residents as well as habitat and nectar for pollinators. The students also planned to reach out to the diverse cultural groups that they are connected to (Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese) to make information about tree planting and watershed benefits accessible, even to those who do not speak English.

Pollinator Patch Project

2021, Sacramento, CA, USA

Grant High School students, Andrea Sanchez, Janeth Guerrero, and Santiago Garcia, proposed the “pollinator patch” project, a garden at school in which specific plant species would attract pollinators and also be utilized by students in the Horticulture class. Thus, the patch would serve as prime habitat, but also an educational space for students in the GEO Academy where students could learn to identify species, as well as techniques for planting, harvesting, and bouquet design. The students also created a website that describes the plants, the pollinator species that would visit them, and horticultural processes. Their fellow students that had returned to campus, Bryant Vang, Daniella Rodriguez, and Fernando Montez, helped to plant and water the garden.

Increasing Cleveland’s Depleted Tree Canopy

2021, Cleveland, OH, USA

The project is titled Increasing Cleveland’s Depleted Tree Canopy, which has massively decreased over the last eighty years. Ehthyu and Emeraude decided to focus on trees because they create a safe environment and help reduce stormwat er runoff by absorbing pollutants from their roots, which helps keep pollution from getting into the Lake Erie Watershed. Trees provide oxygen, habitat to the wildlife, and benefit our environment in so many ways. Increasing the number of trees in our community and spreading awareness about the importance of trees in our environment was the number one goal of this project.

Ehthyu and Emeraude developed three original virtual lessons about trees and their importance in our environment and taught them to local fifth graders over a week in April. The students were given brochures, which contained more information on trees and how to plant them so that the students can have more knowledge on trees and know how important they are to the environment. Each student was also provided a red oak seedling, so that they also can contribute to this act of increasing the Cleveland’s tree canopy by planting trees. Each of the seedlings came with a brochure so they will know how to take care of their trees, until they will grow and reach full maturity. The students were engaged in the lessons as they were taught and seemed to be interested to know how much trees can help create a healthier environment.

Eastern white pine seedlings were also distributed that were received from the Project Plantit! Program through Dominion Gas to community members directly and through a local organization called the Bellarie-Puritas Development Corporation, along with the brochures to spread the word and encourage people to start planting. The rest of the seedlings were distributed to as many people as possible with brochures. Three trees were also planted on the John Marshall High School campus grounds. They were mulched and watered afterwards so they can thrive, and they will be maintained, and the growth of the trees will be monitored throughout the years. Through this project, Ehthyu and Emeraude had the opportunity to educate people through the lessons they developed and the brochures they designed and produced. They spread the word about the importance of trees, how trees can benefit the environment, and how trees keep the watershed clean. It was a great and fun project that was enjoyed by all. Ehthyu and Emeraude are grateful for the funding and this opportunity.

Unmasking the Truth

2021, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Victoria from West Kildonan Collegiate in Winnipeg, MB noticed the increased amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) waste that was popping up in her community, particularly at her school where masks had become mandatory during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Single-use plastics are used so often, but not much thought goes into what happens to that plastic once it has served its purpose.”

She noted that the City of Winnipeg had encouraged people to throw disposable masks in the garbage instead of the recycling so that they would not get caught in machinery or pose health risks to recycling employees.

“My proposal works to address this situation and offer a solution that is both sustainable and safe!”

Victoria ordered TerraCycle PPE recycling boxes to have around her school to help safely dispose of used PPE during the pandemic. Even after the pandemic, these boxes will be helpful in science labs around the school. TerraCycle also offers other recycling boxes for items such as art supplies, coffee capsules, and markers which could be utilized by the school, as well.

Rain Garden at School

2019, Sacramento, California, USA

After learning about issues related to urban storm water runoff, Suad Abdan and Elizabeth Meads spent time researching ways to address this concern is their local watershed. They learned that a well-placed rain garden can serve to help “slow the flow” of runoff, to help water infiltrate into the soil and recharge groundwater, as well as provide habitat and food for insects and wildlife. They also liked the idea of creating something aesthetically pleasing that had so many environmental benefits.

Suad and Elizabeth spent time during the winter surveying their campus for an appropriate location for a rain garden. They chose a low spot where water seemed to drain to from the campus right before the water would flow onto the road and into the storm drain.

They chose a variety of plants that develop deep root systems, were able to tolerate seasonal inundation with water, but also survive dry periods. While their garden was relatively small, both girls learned a lot about the design and process of installing these rain gardens and how they can serve as tools to reduce storm water runoff.

rain garden

student action

Their demonstration project will be a learning tool for the garden class at George Washington Carver High School, who will monitor the garden to see how it is performing after the plants have established and grown over the next year. Caring for Our Watersheds funds help purchase plants and mulch for the garden.

A Vertical Garden for Pollinators

2019, Sacramento, California, USA

MET Sacramento student Isa Sheikh is an officer and active member of the Garden club. As such, he is always looking for ways to improve and extend the garden as well as expand its environmental benefit. As most of the raised beds in the garden area are used to produce vegetables and/ or fruit, Isa wanted to find space to add a pollinator garden, which would attract native pollinators and provide nectar sources for them during other parts of the year.

vertical pollinator garden Isa identified some narrow spaces on campus that were suitable and got approval to plant, but realized he could most efficiently use the space by adding a vertical element to his pollinator garden. By trellising some common pollinator friendly plants, he not only provided habitat, but also added to the aesthetics of his school campus—and hopefully will increase the productivity of the garden as well!