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St. Croix Montessori School Receives $50,000 to Support Edible Schoolyard and Summer Grow Program

St. Croix Montessori School was recently awarded the $50,000 Sprint to Excellence Education Relief Grant from the St. Croix Foundation, according to a release the school issued Friday. The funds will be used primarily to support the school’s Edible Schoolyard and Summer Grow Program, which seeks to teach students about agriculture, healthy eating, and sustainability, both inside and outside the classroom. The program follows the teachings of Alice Waters, who founded the initial program in 1995 in California, the release stated. St. Croix Montessori School said it first reached out to former Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture, Errol Chichester, who worked alongside Rattan Montessori parent, Jens Lawaetz, to design a shade house appropriate for children ages 3 and up. Students and teachers then visited several local farms to learn about the agricultural industry and how to develop their own micro-farm. In late February, the school hosted a morning gardening event, where parents and gu...