As we look back on 2025, The School Garden Doctor is overflowing with gratitude for the growth we’ve achieved together. This year was a turning point for our organization, marked by a transition from a volunteer-led passion project to hiring our first-ever Program Director.
From our new home at the Napa Valley Community Foundation to the thriving gardens at our partner schools, here is how we grew in 2025:
Key Accomplishments in 2025
- Monarch Education and Habitat Monitoring Projects:
- We expanded our commitment to monarch conservation by registering five native habitat gardens within ten square miles across South Napa: Westwood Hills Park, Napa Valley Language Academy, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Valley Oak High School, Stone Bridge School and Skyline Park. We anticipate adding Alta Heights and Willow Magnet School in 2026. In addition:
- Three of our board members volunteered for the Western Monarch Count.
- We expanded our reach to Calistoga, delivering classroom presentations, registering their Monarch Waystation, and inviting students to collect data as community scientists.
- We commissioned an artist to design signs and a retired teacher to deliver art integration lessons in local classrooms.
- Dirt Girls Garden Club: Our signature after-school program thrived at a new site this year. A dozen youth engaged in hands-on horticulture to build social connections and develop an interest in horticulture while tending to the Willow school garden.
- New Partnerships: We welcomed Shearer Magnet School to our network, supporting their career exploration with environmental science. We also began a strategic partnership with the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County (EECNC) to help sustain their community impact.
- Erin S. Soper Award: We distributed $2,500 to educators who sustain thriving gardens.
- Joy, Jobs, and Justice: We focused our projects and programs on these three pillars—planting joy through garden play, introducing youth to green career paths, and advocating for environmental justice by raising awareness about monarch habitat protection.
Community Support & Impact
Our work this year was fueled by the incredible generosity of our community. We are fortunate to collaborate with the California Native Plant Society, who secured initial funding to implement the Monarch Education Project. We were honored to receive a Lewis Cellars Community Grant and support from Community Projects to enhance our outreach with educational signage and integrated art lessons. We were also awarded a grant from the Napa County Wildlife Conservation Commission.
As we move into 2026, our Give!Guide campaign aims to raise $10,000 to ensure every school garden has an opportunity to THRIVE. Thanks to an anonymous $5,000 match, we’re nearly there! As of 3 pm, we need just $1,515.
It’s not too late to add your gift of support.
Thank you for being part of our story.
Be well and go outside,
Carrie Strohl, Ph.D. Founder & Program Director, The School Garden Doctor
“When school gardens thrive, students thrive—experiencing hands-on lessons in science, sustainability, and community.”
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
schoolgardendoctor.org 