Indian Knoll Elementary Wins Grant For Reading, Art Garden

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The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a $4,860 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education® grant to Indian Knoll Elementary School.

The money will be used for a reading, science and art garden beautification project connected to the newly acquired outdoor classroom sponsored by PTA. Indian Knoll Elementary is one of more than 500 schools across the United States to be awarded a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant this fall for improvement projects during the 2014-15 school year.

For their project the staff and students will build a beautiful pergola over the patio. In addition, they will plant several colorful flowering trees in large pots to line the south side of the concrete patio. This will provide additional color and shade for reading under; but by planting them in pots they will not overgrow and take over the space. They will build four raised garden/flower boxes that will line the two short sides of the patio.

Students will be able to plant seasonal flowers or vegetables during the school year. They plan to plant climbing ivy on the four corners of the pergola to eventually grow up and over the structure. A compost bin and rain barrel with a hose will make watering and maintaining this new landscaping easy, convenient and sustainable. In addition to the colorful landscape, to bring a whimsical feeling to the area, they will have three freestanding sculptures, created by the art students, installed around the grassy opening to provide a fun and colorful backdrop for this outdoor classroom.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of this year.

“The Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program delivers on Lowe’s commitment to improve the educational environment for students across the country,” said Maureen Ausura, chairwoman of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “We’re honored to work with Indian Knoll Elementary to support the needs of our local students, teachers and families.”

Since its inception in 2006, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education has provided more than $42 million in grants to 9,600 schools, benefiting more than 5.5 million schoolchildren. Grants are available to K-12 public schools in the United States for a wide range of improvement projects. Schools may be eligible to receive Toolbox grants up to $100,000. Parent groups and educators can apply by visiting ToolboxForEducation.com.

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Image via Shutterstock