Catalyst Alternative High School has been named one of 13 recipients of the inaugural Oregon Women for Agriculture Youth Mini Grant Program.
Oregon Women for Agriculture is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of agriculture in Oregon. The Youth Mini Grant Program is designed to support students, educators, non-profit organizations, and schools in Oregon pursuing agriculture-related missions and special projects. Catalyst's grant provided $800 for a new garden space.
“We are excited to support the efforts of the Catalyst Garden Project,” said Mary Hood, President of Oregon Women for Agriculture. “This program embodies our organization's dedication to agriculture promotion and education in Oregon.”
The project, has been in the dream stage for almost two years, said Christine Crisman, Catalyst School Counselor. Bond expansion work has planned garden space and infrastructure, but funding for garden supplies will be made possible, in part, by this grant.
“We are so excited to get this project up and running,” Crisman said.
The following organizations have also been selected as recipients of the Youth Mini Grant Program:
- Ascension School Camp and Conference Center, Cove: outdoor school field trips to woman-owned farms in Union County.
- Banks High School Agriculture Program, Banks: purchasing materials to establish a classroom cavy project for use in Companion Animal Science and Vet Science courses.
- Community Roots School, Silverton: continuation of large school garden’s consumable needs like seeds, compost, chicken and duck feed, tools, and materials for educational projects.
- Dufur School, Dufur: the purchase of materials for 6-12th grade students to build raised garden beds for K-5th grade classes.
- Elgin School District, Elgin: the purchase of raised beds for produce production in district greenhouses.
- Future Involvement in Agriculture, Klamath Community College: funds for agriculture field trips for Klamath Community College students to engage in industry and learn of career opportunities.
- Kalmiopsis Elementary School, Brookings: revival of a Monarch Butterfly Garden to support classroom lessons about the importance of pollinators.
- Klamath County Extension, Klamath Falls: development of three insect collections to be used as teaching aids for 4-H/FFA, Master Gardeners and Klamath Community College students.
- Muddy Creek Charter School, Corvallis: repair and improvement of outdoor learning spaces, specifically, improvements to their chicken coop and sprinklers for summer watering needs.
- Reynolds High School, Portland: field trips and an egg incubator for a new Agriculture Science class.
- Sauvie Island School, Portland: the addition of climate control amenities for greenhouses to enable year-round vegetable production.
- Springwater Environmental Sciences School, Oregon City: the purchase of five new wheelbarrows for use by students in their school garden.
The Oregon Women for Agriculture Youth Mini Grant Program was funded through donations raised at the Oregon Women for Agriculture fundraising dinner last April. OWA is looking forward to continuing this program and making mini-grants available to organizations to further their agricultural missions and make a positive impact on the future of agriculture in Oregon. OWA extends its congratulations to all the recipients and commends their commitment to advancing agricultural education in their schools and communities.