Watch Us Grow

Grow Dunwoody is a student led, community driven effort that is being established within the city of Dunwoody, Georgia. Within each of the eight schools that are located in our area, we seek to develop an organic gardening program that will be integrated into each institution and our community as a whole. The purpose of this program is: to integrate hands-on learning into science, wellness, and special education, to produce renewable classroom and community resources, and to instill sustainable practices and values within our student body.

In installing these gardens, we aim to make the curriculum of each class involved more interactive by facilitating a new experience in which students will be able to witness the real-world applications of the material that they are studying. We will strive for uniformity by designing similar installations within all of the elementary schools as well as the middle and high school levels. This system will allow each department involved to assume a role that best fits them, whether that role is witnessing a specific cycle or progression being made, integrating the maintenance of the gardens into lesson plans, growing specific materials for classroom activities, or observing certain specimen for scientific purposes. The organic gardens will provide a medium through which outside community organizations can assist in educating students and teachers. We will adopt measures directed towards recycling materials that would otherwise be thrown away as waste. All gardens will include composting operations for the cafeteria, various classes, landscaping and grounds maintenance, and bathroom paper towels.

The overall objective of this program is to reconstruct the way that students are taught, with the objective of identifying all possible interactive resources, incorporating community organizations, and connecting the individual goals of each educational institution. These objectives will be carried out in a methodical manner, beginning with the development of an organic garden within each school.

The organic gardens will connect all levels of education, from K-12, directly involving: parents, community organizations, parks, and wildlife groups. These partnerships will offer each school a multitude of valuable educational resources, allowing teachers and professors from Georgia Perimeter College to enhance the quality of education for the students. The organic gardening program seeks to form a cycle by reducing waste and serving as an educational resource within our city’s schools while forming a connection between students and the community. We seek to serve as an example for our county, state, and nation to show the possibilities of sustainable living and exemplify green community standards.

This website will be operated by the Dunwoody High School Technology Students Association. This site will also feature: a weekly blogging component, lesson plans and teaching strategies, a discussion forum, regular updates on our program, our contact information, and a calendar of upcoming events. Please explore and enjoy!