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Donald Stewart Early Childhood Center No. 51

Elizabeth

Summer Garden Update: Growing, Learning, and Caring Together

Our school garden has been thriving all summer thanks to the dedication of our Summer Program preschool students and teachers, who have been taking turns watering, weeding, and caring for the plants during the hot summer months.

The children have enjoyed observing the garden’s growth and learning the importance of nurturing living things. With guidance from our Eco-School members, students have also been learning proper garden care techniques, including trimming lower leaves to improve air circulation and help prevent plant diseases. We are so proud of their hard work and commitment to keeping our garden healthy and growing!

School No. 51 student holding a large green tomato growing on the vine
School No. 51 student holding a red-orange tomato in her hand.
Photo of teacher and students tending to the raised garden bed at School No. 51

Morris Union Jointure Commission – Developmental Learning Center

New Providence

Apple Tree

Our students had a fantastic time in science group today exploring how apple trees grow. After learning all about them, they put their creativity to work and crafted their very own apple trees! To wrap up the lesson, the class took a trip outside to visit the actual apple tree we planted together this past spring.

It’s so exciting watching our tree grow! 🍏

Developmental Learning Center students posing with their art projects while standing next to the apple tree they planted this past spring.
Developmental Learning Center students watching an educational video on apples
Developmental Learning Center students working on their art tree project

JVJ Academy

Elizabeth

August 2026

Images of pumpkins, tomatoes, fig tree growth, etc.

photo of thriving garden, including pumpkin vines to the left, and sunflower plants to the right
Photo of small, ripe tomatoes growing on a vine inside a dense garden plant
image of overgrown garden bed
pht of garden blooming on the side of the school building

School No. 1

Linden

🍆🫑 We planted tomatoes, cucumbers, string beans, eggplant, basil, zucchini, peppers, and other things at our School No. 1 garden. We are pleased to share some pictures that show how our garden is growing.

Neighborhood House Association School

Plainfield

Summer Growth

As the children are away on their summer break, our plants continue to grow.

Close up photo of radishes growing in dark, rich soil, with a hand holding up some of the green radish leaves
Photo of radish plants and other greenery growing inside a raised garden bed

Morris-Union Jointure Commission

New Providence

Strawberries

Sweet news from the garden: We have strawberries🍓!

Our students have loved tracking the whole journey of the strawberry plant. From green, unripe buds to bright, juicy berries. Hands-on learning never tasted so good!

close-up image of dense, green foliage growing in a garden bed with a single small strawberry visible.
Photo of teacher and student in front of raised garden bed. Teacher is pointing to the strawberry plants.

Hanson Park Conservancy

Cranford

Seedlings provided by Groundwork Elizabeth are growing nicely!

ADA-compliant raised garden bed filled with blooming plants at Hanson Park.

ADA-compliant raised garden bed filled with blooming plants at Hanson Park.

JVJ STEM Academy

Elizabeth

Progress Pictures from June and July

Images of growth: pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, etc.

Photo of JVJ STEM students and faculty posing next to their raised garden beds with Union County Commissioner Stanley Neron.
Photo of an extended arm holding some freshly harvested garlic plants.
Photo of JVJ students holding freshly picked strawberries in their hands
image of hand holding a clear plastic bag of freshly picked strawberries
image of a bundle of freshly harvested garlic bulbs with long green stalks resting on brown paper napkin
Image of lush, dense patch of large pumpkin leaves growing in the garden
A dense, leafy green tomato plant with small yellow flowers growing inside a metal raised garden bed on a lawn.
A dense group of lush, green sunflower plants growing inside a curved metal raised garden bed adjacent to a brick wall.
A person's hand with a floral henna design and multiple rings resting over a patch of large, rounded green squash leaves.
Image of hand lifting the leaves of a strawberry plant to reveal a cluster of ripe red and unripe green strawberries growing in dark soil.
Image of raised garden bed filled with rows of vegetable plants, including leafy greens, peppers, and tomatoes, set against a black fence.

Jerome Dunn Academy School No. 9

Elizabeth

Plantings May through July

Tomato plants, peppers, and zinnias.

Photo of young tomato seedlings planted in soil and mulch.
Tomato Plant
A close-up photo of a fully bloomed bright pink zinnia flower.
close-up image of a hand holding up a green pepper.
Screenshot

Clark Preschool Program

Clark Preschool

Our kids are away for summer break, but our garden is growing beautifully! Here you will see our tomato and green pepper plants! We are so excited for next month.

Image of thriving tomato and green pepper plants in Clark Preschool's raised garden beds