Klorane Botanical Foundation + KidsGardening Announce Spring Hill Elementary School Winner of 2019 Budding Botanist Grant

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - April 10, 2019 - PRLog -- Dedicated to supporting global initiatives to protect the plant universe and biodiversity, Klorane Botanical Foundation, Klorane's corporate foundation, and national nonprofit KidsGardening, a leader in the school gardening movement, are proud to announce Spring Hill Elementary School as a winner of the second annual Budding Botanist Grant.

The Klorane Botanical Foundation is collaborating with KidsGardening to help provide more children with the opportunity to be connected to nature through garden-based learning. Impact reports conducted by the national nonprofit, KidsGardening, reveal that kids who garden show an 86% increase in environmental stewardship.

"The Budding Botanist grant provides our youngest citizens with the opportunity to value their environment, explore the plant world, and inspires them to take care of the life they discover in their local ecosystems," says KidsGardening Executive Director Helen Rortvedt. "At a time when most children can identify up to 200 logos but are unable to identify plants in their own backyard, garden programs like this are more important than ever."

"Sharing botanical knowledge all around the world, with a particular focus on educating children, is key to the Klorane Botanical Foundation's core mission," says Jacqueline Flam, Chief Marketing Officer, Klorane. "This makes it especially gratifying to support the Budding Botanist Grant Program, a tremendous opportunity to work with these deserving schools in empowering them to bring green spaces back to our cities."

See a 2018 Budding Botanist Grant Winner, Academy for Global Citizenship, Chicago, IL, on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hcAP8FLPSM.



One of six winning schools across the country, Spring Hill Elementary School has been awarded a Budding Botanist Grant package valued at $3000 in cash and supplies to provide resources for creating learning gardens with their students. The school was selected for its commitment to teaching environmental sustainability and biodiversity. The Budding Botanist Grant will be utilized to create a certified wildlife habitat featuring entirely native species: sixteen trees, shrubs, and flowering plants that are native to the city of Knoxville.

With the help of a local wildlife habitat program, the space will not only promote plant and animal biodiversity, but also serve as a rich platform for community engagement. The garden will also serve as a haven for up to 169 species of birds, moths, butterflies, and caterpillars.

Spring Hill Elementary School STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Lab Teacher Amanda Callahan-Mims says, "The abundance of fruiting and flowering trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants provides nectar, pollen, fruit, and seeds for animals and insects over the seasons as our indigenous flora allows."

Callahan-Mims adds, "A bird bath will provide regular access to water with the shrubs doubling as shelter and nesting sites for both birds and insects."

The new garden and wildlife habitat will house two original sculptures, including a large butterfly and the school's mascot, the Spring Hill Bear. The garden will not only educate the children, but also show the community the beauty of native plants and the importance of space for pollinators, beneficial insects and birds.

On Wednesday, April 24, the Klorane Botanical Foundation and KidsGardening will help host a garden project and celebration at the school in honor of receiving the Budding Botanist Grant, and to raise awareness around the impact of teaching children to protect nature through growing, caring for and living with plants.

·          Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2019
·          Time: 12:30-1:30 PM
·          Address: 4711 MILDRED DR., KNOXVILLE, TN 37914

If you're interested in attending or for more information, please contact Amanda Callahan-Mims at 865-594-1365 or one of the following KidsGardening team members:

Local KidsGardening Contact:
Christine Gall
christineg@kidsgardening.org
914-564-6848
KidsGardening Contact:
Maree Gaetani
mareeg@kidsgardening.org
802-324-3699

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS ON THE 2019 BUDDING BOTANIST GRANT, KLORANE BOTANICAL FOUNDATION AND/OR KIDSGARDENING/