Dream garden, store for student creations taking shape

This structure, made of old pallets, will house the Entrepreneur Pavilion.

The green spotlight will shine on schoolyard gardens and student creativity next February at the 2014 Southern Spring Home and Garden Show.
The Catawba River District has partnered with Charlotte Mecklenburg School System, Gaston County Schools, Mecklenburg Health Department, Mecklenburg Food Policy Council, Mecklenburg & Gaston Cooperative Extension, Friendship Gardens, 100 Gardens and many others to transition the 2014 Southern Spring Show into an education-focused, entrepreneur-based event supporting school-based achievements (STEM Skills) and collaborative hands-on learning (Common Core), all imbedded around and supporting schoolyard gardens.

River District's growing green thumb

The Catawba River District currently funds and coordinates STEM (science technology engineering and math) focused field trips, schoolyard gardens, a mobile chicken tractor and an annual Eco-Footprint Challenge in a regional partnership engaging approximately 10,000 economically challenged students from 11 schools.
Schoolyard gardens provide a proven platform for education, health & wellness, and career awareness. At least 84 Charlotte Mecklenburg schools are engaged in schoolyard gardening.  The Catawba River District in partnership with the Mecklenburg Health Department, Mecklenburg Food Policy Council and Friendship Gardens launched a Green Teacher Network on August 20 to support this “growing” nationwide trend.
Between 75,000 and 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the 2014 show. Our features components include:

The Ultimate Schoolyard Garden Display

This demonstration garden for teachers, students, and the general public will include numerous display gardens (raised beds, wildlife, pollinator, ozone, alphabet and others) plus an outdoor classroom, growing and art walls, greenhouse, aquaponics (hydroponics and fish farming), vermiculture (yes worms) and other composting ideas, weather, and renewable energy displays of solar and wind.  Everything being presented could be possible within the structure of a local school. Putting it all together? Well, that would be the ultimate! Learn more at CatawbaRiverDistrict.org.

Entrepreneur Pavilion

All schools within Charlotte Mecklenburg and Gaston County School Systems participating in schoolyard garden projects will be invited to become part of the Green Teacher Network and participate in the Entrepreneur Pavilion. The pavilion will allow each school’s students to develop a “product” that they then can “sell”  in our Entrepreneur Pavilion during the 2014 Southern Spring Show.
Students will get real-world career-focused learning as they develop, make and market their products. Proceeds of product sales will support participating schoolyard gardens. Learn more at CatawbaRiverDistrict.org.

Sponsors and volunteers needed

As you can tell, this project needs extensive sponsorship and many volunteer hands between now and February. To learn more about how you can help, or how your school can create products for the Entrepreneur Pavilion, email Edna Chiricoechirico@catawbariverdistrict.org, Executive Director of the Catawba River District.

Learn more

• The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show will take place Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 2 at the Park Expo and Conference Center in Charlotte. Learn more at Southernshows.com.
• Learn more about the Ultimate Schoolyard Garden and Entrepreneur Pavilion, at catawbariverdistrict.org.
• CLICK to download an Ultimate Schoolyard Garden sponsorship packet.