Carrie building community, Dirt Girls, monarch education

Dedicating Our First Monarch Waystation

On March 11, the Dirt Girls of NVLA celebrated the dedication of their Monarch Waystation, engaging participants in a structured program that included teamwork challenges and garden tours. The event highlighted teamwork, problem solving, and conservation education, culminating in a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Monarch Waystation will be open for public viewing on May 17.

The School Garden Doctor Dirt Girls

Presenting “Ecstatic Radish Bounty”

In one of our inaugural sessions of Dirt Girls, I invited four participants to harvest radishes. They did so with gusto and marveled at the red orbs they gently pulled from the soil. Their faces express the surprise of finding an unexpected gift from the Earth. The 'original' Dirt Girls harvesting radishes in an early … Continue reading Presenting “Ecstatic Radish Bounty”

The School Garden Doctor building community, programs, science practices, STEM Education

Cultivating Resilience: Dirt Girls Grow Indoors

Sensory experience–a hallmark of science, nutrition, and environmental education–is much harder to deliver via screen. However, a few months ago I was inspired to turn over a new leaf.

The School Garden Doctor programs, STEM Education, sustaining school gardens

Fostering Teamwork and Inclusion

A little over a year ago, I established an after school club that I dubbed "Dirt Girls." The decision to limit participation only to girls was initially motivated by the relative inequity in STEM fields. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, women make up just 29% of the STEM workforce. Research suggests that time … Continue reading Fostering Teamwork and Inclusion