About Savannah High School Gardening and Art Club
Welcome to Savannah High School Gardening and Art Club!
Our club provides hands-on gardening experiences and art projects that promote:
- Mental Health & Wellness - The garden is our oasis where students can relax, find balance, and process emotions through nature.
- Community Building - We unite students, educators, families, and partners through beautifying our school and giving back.
- Environmental Education - By growing native plants and vegetables, we discover how to live in reciprocity with the natural world.
- Cross-Curricular Learning - Our garden integrates biology, chemistry, math, art, and more into engaging lessons.
- Leadership Skills - Students cultivate responsibility, problem-solving, and teamwork through managing garden projects together.
Join The Gardening and Art Club! All are welcome!
Savannah High School Gardening and Art Club is an extracurricular organization dedicated to fostering creativity and environmental awareness in students.
At Savannah High School of Liberal Studies, our Gardenng Club revolves around immersive “living, learning, labs” - organic green spaces managed by students, teachers, and volunteers.
Our goals are to:
- Create indoor and outdoor spaces for hands-on S.T.E.A.M. activities and horticulture therapy
- Introduce employability and social-emotional skills through gardening
- Develop interdisciplinary, project-based lessons using our living labs
- Build a collaborative team culture
Our objectives are to:
- Design living lab spaces focused on sustainability
- Develop the labs into interactive S.T.E.A.M. demonstration and education stations
- Form thematic teams to manage each living laboratory
- Create standard teaching/learning procedures for the labs
In our living, learning, labs, students get experience in gardening, urban farming, and environmental science while reducing stress and building community. We also partner with local farms, gardens, and nature centers to provide diverse learning opportunities across our city.
If you are interested in volunteering, partnering, or supporting our living, learning, labs, please reach out! We are always seeking help to enrich our students’ academic and social-emotional growth.
Located in Savannah, GA, our club provides a welcoming and supportive environment for students to explore their interests in gardening and art. Our mission is to inspire a love for nature and the arts, and to encourage students to use their skills to make a positive impact in their community.
Education Services
Student Support Services
- Have school counselors, social workers, and psychologists collaborate with garden teachers on lessons and activities that address mental health, relationships, substance abuse awareness, etc.
- Allow students to confide in and receive informal counseling from garden teachers they've built a rapport with while working. Teachers can connect students with formal services.
- Schedule time during garden classes for advising on academic and personal issues. The informal setting may make some students more comfortable opening up.
- Host workshops led by support staff on skills like study strategies, managing stress, applying for college, healthy relationships, etc. and allow students to practice skills through gardening.
- Encourage peer-to-peer mentoring between older and younger students while gardening together. This provides positive role models and support.
- Create spaces in the garden for one-on-one counseling sessions to occur in a peaceful outdoor setting that feels less clinical.
- Hire school social workers or counselors to serve as garden teachers or assistants so they build relationships with students through gardening.
- Start support groups that meet periodically in the garden for students struggling with similar issues such as grief, substances, relationships.
- Grow therapeutic herbs and plants known to lift mood and reduce stress/anxiety. Discuss benefits.
Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health
- Incorporate reflective journaling or discussions about students' emotions, stress levels, and mood before and after garden activities. This builds emotional self-awareness.
- Practice mindfulness and meditation techniques outdoors in the garden spaces. Connect with nature to reduce anxiety.
- Provide lessons on emotional regulation, active listening, conflict resolution and other interpersonal skills. Practice during garden teamwork.
- Encourage students to buddy up and support teammates who are struggling. Fosters empathy and support.
- Incorporate stress-relieving horticulture activities like aromatic herb gardening, mandala flower planting, zen rock gardens.
- Discuss mental health stigma and share positive coping strategies students can use day-to-day.
- Create "peaceful spots" in the garden for students to go to decompress and relax during high stress.
- Develop student "garden mentors" who are trained in peer counseling and can talk through issues while gardening.
- Partner counselors with garden time so students can opt to talk privately. Normalizes seeking help.
- Host workshops on the mental health benefits of nature and outdoor mind-body practices like yoga.
Environmental Sustainability
- Incorporate lessons and projects related to composting, water conservation, renewable energy, etc. This teaches students sustainable gardening practices.
- Have students analyze the garden's environmental impact through lifecycle assessments of materials used, carbon footprint, and waste audits. This develops analytical skills.
- Implement plastic-free, organic principles in the garden to reduce waste and chemical use. Students can make their own potting soil, compost, natural fertilizers.
- Start seedlings in reused containers and donate excess starts to community members to reduce purchasing.
- Set up rain barrel systems to harvest rainwater for irrigation and educate about water conservation.
- Build vertical, hydroponic, or raised bed gardens to grow more food in small spaces. Showcase space-efficient techniques.
- Apply permaculture techniques like companion planting, polycultures, and beneficial insect habitats.
- Compost food waste from the cafeteria, local businesses, or households to show closed-loop systems.
- Invite speakers from environmental companies to discuss sustainability innovations and careers.
- Host community events focused on sustainable living - urban homesteading, green transportation, renewable energy, etc.
Donate To The Savannah High School Gardening and Art Club!
Are you interested in supporting the Savannah High School Gardening and Art Club? If so, please provide your name, email and a brief message about the nature of your support. We are happy to accept plants, tools, seeds, and your expertise! Help us reach our goal of $5,000.00 this year to support community gardening events and for much needed repairs to our existing greenhouse.
Contact Us Today
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