LES Greenhouse Fund
Supporting joyful, student-driven outdoor education in Leverett
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LES students are...
Planting herb gardens ~ Exploring vernal pools ~ Learning about diverse cultural gardening practices ~ Measuring the heights of carrot plant ~ Building fairy villages ~ Studying the life cycle of dragonflies or the anatomy of earthworms ~ Identifying trees and wildflowers ~ Understanding how pollinators help sustain our planet
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We need your help to...
Replace the irrigation system and greenhouse roof, purchase a toolshed, supply field guides, seed packets, soil amendments, gardening tools, and new furniture for outdoor class meetings
And to build upon a marvelous program and resource.
What’s in the soil?
The Leverett Elementary School Greenhouse is at the center of an effort to introduce LES students to the wonders of the natural world, to help them learn in practical and tactile ways, and to teach them about the responsibility we have to protect our environment.
Spring 2021 marked the tenth anniversary of this facility and program—and at no time in its ten year history has it proved as valuable, or demonstrated better its remarkable potential. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our world, and especially the lives of children, outdoor learning programs and spaces have new value. The LES greenhouse affords students a space to safely investigate, imagine, discover, and create.
For a related perspective, read LES teacher Alissa Alteri Shea’s recent reflection on our Stories page.
Ready to dig in?
Donate to the LES Greenhouse Fund and help this unique resource grow and thrive.
“Pick your own” gift from our menu below, or choose an amount that works for you. Every donation counts, and truly plants a seed!
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Sprout ($25)
Provides seed packs and kid-sized gardening tools
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Cultivar ($50)
Supplies field guides and art materials.
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Gardener ($100)
Helps purchase garden carts or a new tool shed.
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Pollinator ($250)
Funds new shelving for educational resources, or furniture for outdoor class meetings.
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Volunteer ($500)
Sponsors the replacement of the greenhouse roof or a new irrigation system.
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Perennial Giving
A sustaining gift will help this unique resource flourish season after season!
Thank you to Leverett’s own Grass Roots Landscaping and Dean ‘s Beans, as well as People’s Bank and West Branch Capital for their generous "starter” donations to this campaign. We appreciate their support of our school.
The “Ward” of the Greenhouse
Dawn Ward is a naturalist, nature educator, and master gardener who has led the Greenhouse Program from its beginning. Dawn has a clear educational vision: to design activities that build upon the LES curriculum, emphasize student autonomy, and make art, play, and nature central features of the educational experience. Dawn believes deeply in a balance of planned and spontaneous learning that is joyful and child-driven.
Dawn devotes countless hours to maintaining the greenhouse and outdoor gardens. She conducts classes, and leads individual students through their own encounters with nature. She has recruited volunteers, applied for grants, held plant sales, and done everything she can think of to maintain the facility and sustain the Greenhouse Program.
“We love our greenhouse with walls of glass / its a special place to escape from class. Sunlight makes it shine like a crystal / Illuminating the flowers from stamen to pistil.”
-Excerpt from Ode to the Greenhouse, LES 6th Graders, 2011
