New Irrigation System and Garden Grant Support Hands-On Learning at Dows Lane

Students at Dows Lane Elementary School will return to a thriving garden this fall, with new improvements and grant support creating even more opportunities for hands-on learning and community engagement.  

This fall, the Irvington Union Free School District reinstalled the garden’s irrigation system, restoring its automatic sprinklers and providing additional support for the plants and produce students help cultivate throughout the year. 

The garden also recently received exciting news after Dows Lane PTSA Garden Coordinator Meg Tubman applied for the Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant. Dows Lane was selected from among 800 schools that applied for the grant and is expected to receive approximately $3,500. While plans for the funding are still being determined, the grant is expected to support seeds, plants and the continued upkeep of the garden’s vegetable beds. 

The garden serves as an extension of the classroom, providing students with opportunities to plant, grow, observe and harvest while developing a greater understanding of the environment and where food comes from. In her letter supporting the grant application, Principal Dr. Andrea Kantor highlighted the role gardening plays in supporting the school’s whole-child approach to education, including hands-on learning, environmental awareness and students’ social-emotional well-being. 

Throughout the school year, the space is incorporated into learning and activities in a variety of ways. Students read and observe plant growth in the garden with librarian Gina Samaniego, while Garden Club Advisor Alissa Campbell works with students to cultivate seeds and care for the garden. The school also collaborates with Irvington High School’s vocational program, providing opportunities for high school students to contribute to the community garden. 

The garden’s impact extends beyond the school day through the support of the PTSA, families and community volunteers. Tubman coordinates volunteers who help prepare and maintain the garden throughout the year. The garden also provides opportunities during the summer, and extra produce is donated to a local senior center. 

Students will have another opportunity to enjoy the fruits, and vegetables, of their labor this October when Dows Lane hosts its first whole-school soup day. Students will help pick and chop vegetables from the garden before coming together to enjoy the soup. The new event builds on the school’s popular spring salad day. 

“It’s going to be a wonderful school community event,” Kantor said. “The students love being in the garden, and one of their favorite days is salad day in the spring, so we are trying a fall soup day this year, too. The garden is an incredible learning space for our students and a wonderful community space for all our families.”  

Kantor credited the collaboration among Campbell, Tubman and the district with helping the garden and its programming continue to thrive.  

“Our garden is a place of pride and joy for all students, staff and families at Dows Lane Elementary School, Kantor said.  

With new improvements, continued community support and plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning ahead, the Dows Lane garden is ready for another year of growing alongside its students.