Welcome everyone to our monthly E-Newsletter, supporting a network of school garden advocates! We will keep you updated on the latest news and work being done across school gardens programs here in Newark, New Jersey, and the best resources from across the country.   

Looking for a specific resource? Interested in having your own resources published? Reach out to us to discuss more at pevans@citybloom.org and we will be more than happy to help.

The Coalition for Healthy Food in Newark Schools, Greater Newark Conservancy, and Trust for Public Land are thrilled to invite you to the inaugural Newark Grows School Gardens Tour on Friday June 7, 2024.  

Newark’s network of vibrant school gardens has been growing.  In these gardens, Newark students are growing healthy food, doing hands on science, becoming environmental advocates, and building community spirit. Please join us to experience this powerful learning in person. 

There are two ways to participate: 
-Join our chartered bus tour (6 schools. Choose AM, PM or full day.  Limited seats available) 

-Choose your own adventure (10 schools participating) 

Please see our website for details on open hours, locations and contacts. 

As you are visiting schools, take a break and join us for lunch at Greater Newark Conservancy (32 Prince Street). Registration required. 

For further information please contact Sarah at soleary@citybloom.org; Patrick at pevans@citybloom.org or call 973.642.4646, ext. 26; Bryanna at Bryanna.Fogel@tpl.org or call 262.309.9289.  

Register your school garden to be a part of our Newark School Garden Support Network and see where other school gardens are located near you!

These Family Programs are great to enjoy with a young person, but you can join in on your own for an informal professional development session. They are an opportunity to see ways our environmental educators encourage kids to develop wonder, make observations, construct understanding, and engage in science conversations.  You can also learn some cool crafts, healthy recipes, and ways to incorporate more hands-on, engaged learning.

Second Saturday Family Adventures

In-Person

Saturday, June 8th @ 10:30-12pm

Join us for Second Saturday Family Adventures at Greater Newark Conservancy as we explore the wonderful world of trees! We will learn and appreciate all the species of trees that surround Greater Newark Conservancy through a variety of activities and crafts. Come ready to explore!

This program is free, but registration is required.

REGISTER HERE

Youth Internship Programs

Virtual

Wednesday, June 26th @ 2:00pm-3:00pm

Internships are a great way to involve youth more deeply in garden programming while giving them important job skills. Learn how educators from Durham, NC and Victoria, BC structure their programs!

REGISTER HEREhttps://sgsonetwork.org/youth-internship-programs/

National Children & Youth Garden Symposium

In-Person

The American Horticultural Society’s 32nd Annual National Children and Youth Garden Symposium will be held on Chicago’s North Shore from Monday, July 8 to Thursday, July 11, 2024, in partnership with the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Reinvigorate your passion to educate a new generation about the importance of gardening. Network, engage, collaborate, and learn from like-minded peers across the country.

MORE INFO HERE

School gardens have been around for decades, serving as a place for students to learn, grow, and play in a natural environment outside the traditional school walls. They are places where children can roam free, connecting to the earth, one little seedling at a time. Listen to the many students impacted by the school garden programming facilitated by Greater Newark Conservancy!

This month's Jersey Fresh Harvest of the Month is Strawberries! Strawberries are in season in New Jersey
 during late spring and early summer, during the months of May and June. Strawberries are one of the first fruits to grow during the New Jersey growing season. Learn more about Strawberries here.

The Coalition for Healthy Food in Newark Schools (HFiNS) is thrilled to announce its official launch, bolstered by a generous grant of $3.8M from Novo Nordisk. This funding spans over the next three years and is dedicated to improving the Newark school food system with community participation and input. Greater Newark Conservancy is serving as the lead organization in this initiative, with this award representing the largest grant awarded to the agency in its 36-year history. HFiNS steering committee includes several other agencies that serve Newark, including Common Market, FoodCorps NJ, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, RWJ Barnabas Health, United Way of Greater Newark, and the Urban Agriculture Cooperative. All work together with the shared goal of transforming Newark’s school food system; these partners are committed to ensuring every student has access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant foods. Click here to learn more! 

What did the strawberry say after arguing with the blueberry?

 Let’s berry the hatchet!

Source: Wisconsin School Garden Network

Interested in bringing your students to the Outdoor Learning Center at Greater Newark Conservancy to experience the joy of nature-based education? Fill out this Field Trip Interest Form! We offer a variety of field trip programs that will spark the interest of any youth. Whether they are learning about urban habitats, diving into the world of bugs and insects, or seeing how worms can break down our food into a valuable soil amendment, your students will leave our site with a host of knowledge! For more information reach out to soleary@citybloom.org.

The work that we do would not be possible without the generosity of our donors. While we had to put some of our on-site programs temporarily on hold during the COVID-19 crisis, we are back to normal operations and ramping up a number of programs and activities at our Outdoor Learning Center, the Hawthorne Avenue Urban Farm, school partner gardens, as well as various virtual workshops.