Grants and awards for the Green Thumbs of Crawford Long Middle School

Ms. Tiarra Moore is a science instructional coach at Crawford Long Middle School. We recently visited her and her students tending to the garden and building a habitat with the assistance of Pike Nurseries. Ms. Moore is also the school’s garden manager with a host of ideas and awards to help her maintain Crawford Long Middle School’s expanding gardening goals.  She has an impressive list of grants and awards she has won to establish, maintain and expand Crawford Long Middle School’s garden:

2010 Atlanta Families’ Award for Excellence in Education Award

Purpose: To establish Long Middle School’s first organic garden.

2011 Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation Grant

Purpose: To expand the garden by purchasing additional raised garden beds complete with soil, fertilizer, and irrigation.

2011 Fruit Orchard Recipient (Atlanta Local Food Initiative)

Purpose: To purchase fruit trees and berry bushes to create and orchard in the garden area.

2012 State Farm Youth Service America Grant

Purpose: To purchase building and garden materials to expand the garden by building six additional raised garden beds and purchase soil, fertilizer, and vegetable plants. Community assistance was provided by parents and the Jonesboro Road Home Depot.

2012 Communities in Schools Choose Success Grant

Purpose: To purchase 13 raised bed garden kits, seeds, and soil to give to families as part of the “Communities Gardens to Go” program to allow families to start home gardens.

2012 Muhammad Ali Center Peace Garden Grant

Purpose: To purchase three raised garden beds and plant vegetables with a multicultural focus.

2012 Captain Planet Foundation Grant

Purpose: To certify the garden as a wildlife habitat, plant fruit trees, a wildflower meadow, and create a pond.

2012 Whole Kids Foundation Grant

Purpose: To expand and irrigate the garden and purchase a Windowfarms vertical, hydroponic growing system that allows year-round growing in almost any window.

In addition to this list, the garden at Crawford Long Middle School has provided garden and salad day picnics for students and teachers, a Georgia State University cooking class using the garden’s produce, and vegetable giveaways. Ms. Moore and her students beam with pride and are excited about their gardening efforts. Congratulations to Ms. Moore and the students at Crawford Long Middle School.