Introducing the New and Improved Adelante School Garden
After many months of good design and hard work, Leadership Santa Barbara County and Explore Ecology unveiled the beautiful, new, and improved garden spaces at Adelante Charter School. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Dedication took place in Santa Barbara on Friday, May 13th.
Alex Bereda, School Gardens Director, Talking to Crowd (Photo- Jill Cloutier)
Each year, Leadership Santa Barbara County (LSBC) chooses a Community Service Project. Working with Alex Bereda, Explore Ecology’s School Gardens Program Director, participants in the LSBC project revitalized Adelante’s school garden and outdoor learning space.
Ribbon Cutting at Adelante (Photo – Jill Cloutier)
LSBC classes seek projects where they can have hands-on experience in addition to raising funds and awareness. Past LSBC class projects include a Chicken Coop for Fairview Gardens Educational Program, Onsite Mini-Libraries for the Housing Authority of SB, and a Playground for Isla Vista Youth Projects.
LSBC Student Hard at Work (Photo- Sam Dickinson)
The Explore Ecology School Gardens Program currently serves approximately 10,000 students in thirty schools, in five school districts throughout Santa Barbara County. The School Gardens Program connects students to their food and their environment through hands on, meaningful lessons in the outdoor garden classroom.The new garden areas at Adelante will be used as outdoor classrooms where students learn about organic gardening, composting, and other nature-related topics.
Crystal Franco, Garden Educator (Photo- Jill Cloutier)
The Adelante School Garden Project wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of the partners and sponsors that made it such a success. Special thanks to the Teacher’s Fund, Los Agaves Restaurant, Mandala Gardens, Milpas Rental, Allen Construction, and Kidzmet.
Eva grew up in Berkeley, CA and is a recent graduate of UCSB, where she studied Aquatic Biology and German Language. During her undergrad, Eva worked as an aquarist at UCSB’s Research Experience and Education Facility (the REEF), where she managed the aquarium facility and found a love for science communication and conservation.
Rachel Palmer
Nicole is a mixed media artist and vintage goods specialist who has been managing Art from Scrap since 2020.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Lydia
Lindsay Johnson
MELISSA BROOKS
Jenny joined Explore Ecology first as an Environmental Educator, then as a Program Coordinator, and most recently moved into the newly created Programs, People & Culture position. Prior to Explore Ecology Jenny worked in science research and consulting, however her passion has always been science education and outreach. Jenny loves all things related to the ocean, especially free diving, and enjoying the beauty and wonder that is the underwater world. Her greatest life passion is traveling, which she hopes to do more of again soon.
Lu’s love of all things Earth began at James Madison University in Virginia, where they got their Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Lu has a Master’s degree in Spatial Ecology- the study of how creatures interact across landscapes- from East Carolina University, where they studied rock pools along a river and the critters that dwell in them.