Vision

Our Action Project Story: Cultivating Sustainability, Leadership, and Wellness Through School Gardens
At Montclair, our Action Project grew from a shared vision of creating a greener, more inclusive, and health-conscious school community. Through student voice, community collaboration, and hands-on learning, our school gardens have become a vibrant hub for sustainability, leadership, and wellness.

Action

Students and staff collaboratively:
Planted and cared for vegetables and herbs in raised beds and a communal herb garden.

Created a beautiful pollinator-friendly butterfly garden, tying in science curriculum on life cycles and ecosystems.as well as spread wildflower seeds around several parts of the garden to assist with pollination

Maintained a rainwater collection system to water the gardens and taught students about water conservation.

Built and actively managed a compost station, where food scraps from our Breakfast Club and classrooms are turned into nutrient-rich soil.

Embed the project across multiple curriculum areas:

Science: plant growth, soil health, pollination, and life cycles.

Health & Nutrition: lessons on balanced diets, vitamins in food, and the importance of whole foods.

Math: measuring plant growth, calculating area and yield, and tracking water usage.

Language: reflective journaling, procedural writing, persuasive speeches, and student-created signage.

Art: designing garden signs, sketching botanical drawings, and painting garden markers.

Connected the project to our Breakfast Club by using fresh produce from the garden to provide healthy food options that students helped grow themselves.

Hosted a Welcome Garden Event for Newcomer families to learn about planting and sustainability while building community and belonging.

Designed the garden as a well-being space—a quiet, calming outdoor classroom where students can work, reflect, or enjoy nature.

Offered school-wide garden tours, led by student guides who shared knowledge about plants, composting, and pollinators with peers, staff, and families.

Established student leadership roles, such as garden ambassadors, compost monitors, and planting team leaders, fostering responsibility and pride.

Promoted ongoing reflection, leadership, and creativity through journals, photography, and group discussions about environmental action and healthy living.

Reflection & Celebration

What inspired our students to take on this issue?
Our students were motivated by conversations about climate change, food insecurity, and their personal experiences with gardening. Many students, particularly those new to Canada, shared stories of growing food with family members in their home countries. Their passion helped shape the project’s direction and ensured that the student voice was central to every decision. They chose what to plant, led aspects of planning and implementation, and now serve as the garden’s most enthusiastic advocates and educators.
They were especially inspired by the idea that their actions could lead to real, visible change in their school and community. Growing vegetables, conserving water, feeding classmates, and leading tours have all given students a deep sense of ownership, confidence, and agency.

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