Stonewall Elementary Gardens                  

The Stonewall Elementary garden program has become a fixture in the experience of all Stonewall students. It is supported by the volunteer-led non-profit organization, Stonewall Gardens, founded in 2009 following the district's budget crisis that eliminated all funding for the program, notably the garden instructor position.  Unwilling to let such an innovative and important program wither, parents and community members raised enough funds to keep their garden instructor teaching in the 20,000 square foot outdoor laboratory where students tend crops, observe the complex workings of an ecosystem, and conduct scientific experiments. The hands-on, multi-sensory curriculum allows children from kindergarten through fifth grade to increase their understanding of science and their connection to nature.

This commitment to nature made the Stonewall Gardens a natural choice for a Sun Club solar donation. The $20,000 grant installed a ground-mounted array which blooms like a large flower from the garden. A roof-mounted array next to the garden was also installed with the funds. Both solar energy systems are providing pollution-free electricity to the school and helping to save money each month on energy costs, while educating the students on solar energy. The dedication ceremony occurred during the Garden's 5th Annual Chicken Coop Tour which help create a lot of egg-cited solar energy fans!