5th Annual Lettuce Challenge Awards May 20th Government Center!

(Photos from 2014 Lettuce Challenge)

Over 1,300 Stamford students from kindergarten to seventh grade are growing buttercrunch lettuce for the next six weeks as they participate in The Fifth Annual Lettuce Challenge sponsored by The Stamford Garden Club. You are invited to join the celebration when Mayor David Martin acknowledges the grower of the winning plant at a ceremony in The Stamford Government Center Lobby on May 20th between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

The Lettuce Challenge was launched in 2011 to encourage children to learn about growing food. With the support of Stamford Public Schools and Sam Bridge Nursery, annual donors of the lettuce seedlings, the Lettuce Challenge has attracted more budding horticulturalists each year. The first Lettuce Challenge Contest was held in conjunction with The Stamford Garden Club’s “Timescapes” Flower Show. The scholastic success of that event proved the importance of the contest which has been held at the Stamford Government Center for the past four years .

During the week of May 11th, student groups will choose three (3) of the best looking plants from the many grown by their peers. These plants will be transported by Stamford Garden Club volunteers to Stamford Government Center where they will be viewed by local horticulturists who will have the challenging job of choosing the best in show from among hundreds of plants on May 18th.

The top three contest entries from each participating class and the school garden clubs will be displayed in the Stamford Government Center Lobby from May 18th through May 21st during daily Lobby Hours, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Along with the entered plants, additional science exhibits will feature the G.I.V.E. (Green Initiative for Vegetables in Education), a school community gardens program launched in 2010 by Pam Sloane, a retired Stamford Public Schools teacher, and KIDS’ FANS (Kids Fitness and Nutrition Services), a partnership of the Stamford Hospital and the Childhood Obesity Task Force.

The success of The Stamford Garden Club’s Lettuce Challenge has drawn attention from neighboring communities, Greenwich and Rowayton. The Garden Education Center is supporting a Lettuce Challenge for Greenwich students for the first time this year. Rowayton is exploring the opportunity.

Support: The Fifth Annual Lettuce Challenge Contest is sponsored by The Stamford Garden Club, which is most appreciative of the teachers who are assisting their students with this project. Special thanks to Natalie Elder, Director for Elementary School Improvement & Professional Development, who alerted Stamford teachers to this exciting learning experience. Thanks also to Sam Bridge Nursery and the staff of the Stamford Government Center for their invaluable assistance.

The Stamford Government Center is located at 888 Washington St. at the corner of Tressor Blvd. Free parking is available adjacent to the building.

The Stamford Garden Club maintains the Goodbody Garden located at the City of Stamford’s Fort Stamford Park as one of its civic projects. The club sponsors additional civic projects including Seniors’ Holiday Hortitherapy, downtown Stamford beautification in conjunction with the DSSD, horticultural scholarships, civic awards and more. The Stamford Garden Club is a member of The Garden Club of America and The Federated Garden Club of Connecticut.