The School Garden Competition invites Florida elementary schools to highlight their school garden
programs. A cash prize is given to the first-place winning school in
each category.
Entire School Garden Category |
 First Place: Orlando Junior Academy, Orlando
"The Schoolyard Garden" is comprised of four themed areas: a vegetable garden, produce from
which a local chef uses to prepare school meals; a pollinator garden where students observe wildlife, a Central Florida
native garden with perennials and a fountain, as well as a small citrus "grove."
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(PDF)
|
 Second Place: Oakcrest Elementary, Pensacola
Produce from the Oakcrest vegetable and flower garden is so plentiful that it is both sent home with students and
used in the school cafeteria. Just one example on the garden's success: the number of students selecting broccoli in the
cafeteria tripled in the time since the garden was established.
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 Third Place: Pine Crest School, Boca Raton
The Pine Crest organic garden was started from seed, and beneficial insects ("Good Bugs") were
instrumental in learning about pest management. Students participated in the release of 18,000 ladybugs, collect 20,000
gallons of rainwater, and learned how to make compost.
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|
Multiple Class Garden Category |
 First Place: Avalon Elementary, Naples
The Avalon Elementary Global Garden is a working partnership with the Naples Botanical Garden. An after-school project, the garden involves third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders and has four themed sections: agriculture, tropical,
arid, and wetlands.
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|
 Second Place: Endeavour Elementary, Cocoa
The large butterfly garden involves pre-K, kindergarten, and third-graders, and includes what may be the
only permanent butterfly habit on an elementary campus. It is a certified wildlife habitat and a three-time winner of Keep
Brevard Beautiful's "Environmental Education Award."
View the complete portfolio (PDF) |
 Third Place: Blue Lakes Elementary Gifted Program, Miami
The Blue Lakes butterfly and vegetable garden is tended to by students in the school's gifted program, and
enjoyed by all students. It has been certified as a Florida-Friendly Landscape.
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Single Class Garden Category |
 First Place: East Marion Elementary, Silver Springs
Sondra Clem's fifth grade class created a 1890s-era "Pioneer Kitchen Garden" on the museum
grounds at Silver River State Park. Her students researched and chose plants that would have been in a Florida pioneer
family's garden. The garden was also featured in the Ocali Country Days Festival, celebrated at the park.
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 Second Place: Lake Como Elementary, Orlando
Alan Ellis' exceptional education class grew vegetables, expanding their garden this year in order to
donate extra produce to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orlando. Working in the garden, students learn math, science,
communication skills, and self-esteem.
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|
 Third Place: Mendenhall Elementary, Tampa
Kimberly Long's third grade students grew vegetables and flowers in their garden, where they conducted
science fair experiments, grew plants to attract butterflies, learned how weather is an important factor in farming, and
more.
View the complete portfolio (PDF)
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