Author: sperez

Donald Stewart Center School No. 51

Elizabeth

Cleaning the Garden before Planting

As we approached the end of the winter months, our teachers and students began preparing the school garden for the upcoming growing season. Even with the colder weather, our school community stayed committed to caring for our outdoor learning space. Students helped clear leaves, remove debris, refresh the soil, and tidy up the raised beds to ensure everything was ready for spring planting.
This early season cleanup gave students hands on experience with garden maintenance while reinforcing teamwork, responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Teachers guided students through identifying winter damage, turning the soil, and learning why preparation is essential for a healthy garden.

Picture of School No. 51 teacher and students cleaning and preparing the garden

Sherman Elementary School

Roselle Park

Spring Planting & Chive Butter

We started our garden plants in seed snails and in hydroponics units. We transplanted tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, basil, and string beans into our garden.

We also planted cucumber seeds and have been harvesting chive blossoms, chives, and snap peas. We used our beautiful purple chives to make delicious chive blossom butter which we enjoyed on french baguette. Yum!

We have a few ladybugs lingering in our garden, which were released by our preschool students at the end of their ladybug lifecycle study.

Photo of students harvesting purple blossomed chives from outdoor garden
Close-up photo of a young tomato plant
photo of ingredients (butter sticks, chopped chive blossoms and green chives) in a bowl, ready to be blended into a delicious chive blossom butter
Photo of several students' hands patting down the soil in their outdoor garden
close up photo of a tiny ladybug resting on a leaf

Donald Stewart Center School No. 51

Elizabeth

Planting Day with Commissioner Stanley J. Neron

We are excited to share that during the 2025–2026 school year, our school has expanded our existing vegetable garden thanks to the 2025 Kids Dig In Grant. In partnership with Groundwork Elizabeth and the Union County Board of Commissioners, we added a new raised planting bed along with soil, seeds, tools, and additional materials provided through Groundwork Elizabeth’s garden program.
Our students worked alongside Groundwork Elizabeth staff and Union County Commissioner Stanley J. Neron on planting day, actively participating in growing fresh vegetables. We are proud to continue donating a portion of our harvest to the community, strengthening our connection and giving back to those around us.
Our garden continues to enhance our school environment while providing hands-on learning experiences that promote teamwork, environmental responsibility, and healthy habits. We look forward to another successful growing season and sharing our harvest with the community.

Photo of Union County Commissioner Stanley J. Neron, Angelica Cedeno, School #51 Teachers and students proudly holding Union County Kids Dig in Grant Program Banner.
Commissioner Stanley J. Neron helping students prepare their garden and add new plants

Lincoln School

Cranford

The Art of the Garden Bed

The students carefully placed each plant into the soil, making sure to leave enough space between them so they will have room to grow.

They then watered the garden bed to give the plants a good start to grow! We know that we won’t see results overnight, but we are excited to watch the tiny sprouts grow into the plants and flowers they will bloom into!

Lincoln School students, teachers and Groundworks Elizabeth representatives smiling for the camera while holding up their Kids Dig In Garden Grant Program banner

John E. Dwyer Technology Academy Annex

Elizabeth

Eagle Nest Community Garden

Orcas are the second most popular plants that are being grown in gardens this year. Orcas can refer to two kinds, the first being the ‘Agave Ovatifolia.’ This plant is known for its frosty blue-grey leaves and wide yellow margins and can grow up to 2 feet tall!

The second is the ‘Venus Flytrap CCCP.’ This carnivorous plant is known for its deep traps and lacy dentition along the edges. Be on the lookout for these plants!

John E. Dwyer students, faculty, Groundworks Elizabeth and Union County representatives pose with the Union County Kids Dig In Garden Grant Program
John E. Dwyer students planting in their raised garden bed

Elmora School No. 12

Elizabeth

Eagle’s Nest

Today was another exciting day at Elmora School No. 12 – they were awarded an ADA Garden Bed! We saw this group of students work as a team and saw how their hard work paid off!

This garden is becoming greener and more beautiful each week. We are excited to see it grow! Continue to make new discoveries about your garden! We look forward to coming back next year 😊

School No. 12 students, faculty, and Union County representatives pose with the Kids Dig In Garden Grant Banner
School No. 12 students planting seedlings in their new ADA Compliant raised garden bed
Two school No. 12 students and Groundworks Elizabeth representative plantings seedlings in new ADA raised garden bed

Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27

Elizabeth

Pantoja Gardens

On today’s visit, Groundworks Board Chair Sergio Granados was in attendance. Thank you, John, for teaching the students how to take care of their new garden!

We love how passionate the teacher and students are about their new ADA raised garden bed! We can’t wait to see the new, amazing things that grow in the garden!

School No. 27 students listening to a presentation from Groundworks Elizabeth representatives in front of their new raised garden bed
Students at School No. 27 getting hands on experience as they plant seedlings in their new raised garden bed
Photo of a Pantoja Gardens Poster on a wall inside School No. 27
School No. 27 students, teachers, Groundworks Elizabeth staff and Groundworks Elizabeth Board Chair and Former Union County Commissioner Sergio Granados all pose for the camera, with students holding up their Kids Dig In Garden Grant banner

Deanna G. Taylor Academy

Hillside

The Happy Garden

On this hot day, we thanked the teacher and students for coming out to learn about their new ADA-compliant raised bed! Thanks to their amazing teacher, they are able to collect rainwater as a natural way of harvesting their garden!

The students are very excited to learn more in STEM learning, environmental science, and nutrition education. We look forward to seeing what they’ve learned 😊

Deanna G. Taylor Academy students planting seedlings in their new ADA raised garden bed
Deanna G. Taylor Academy students planting seedlings in their new ADA raised garden bed
Deanna G. Taylor Academy students, teachers, and Union County representative posing in front of the garden, holding up their Kids Dig In Garden Grant Program banner
Photo of Deanna G. Taylor Academy students planting seedlings in their new ADA raised garden bed

Thomas Edison Career & Technical School

Elizabeth

Thyme: The Delicious Herb

Welcome back to Thomas Edison Career & Technical School in Elizabeth, NJ. This year, we learned thyme is being put into the gardens from Groundwork Elizabeth!

Not only is thyme very delicious in our foods, it is also full of antioxidants and is a great source of beta-carotene (a red-orange plant pigment) and folic acid (Vitamin B). Thyme can also be used for soothing wounds, preventing infections, and treating congestion and stomach pain.

Thomas Edison students, teachers, and Groundwork Elizabeth representatives standing behind the raised garden beds and holding up their Kids Dig In Garden Grant banne
Students planting in the raised gardens

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 52

Elizabeth

Out of this World 🌎 Gardening

Union County Commissioner Palmieri-Mouded was in attendance at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 52!

A fun fact about one of the flowers we planted: the Zinnia. Did you know that it was the first flower to bloom in outer space?

In 2016, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly was able to successfully grow bright orange Zinnias on the International Space Station (ISS). This was an active project at the time to understand how plants can grow in microgravity.

Union County Commissioner Palmieri-Mouded with School No. 52 students in front of the school raised garden bed. Children are raising their shovels.
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School No. 52 students planting in their raised garden bed, alongside teachers, Groundwork Elizabeth representatives, and others.
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School No. 52 students, teachers, and Commissioner Mouded posing with Kids Dig In Garden Grant banner
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