Championing Environmental Literacy in Campbell Elementary Schools

Santa Clara Unified School District's Pomeroy Sustainable Harvests & Investing in Nature Education (SHINE) program serves 300 students in grades TK-5 in Santa Clara, CA. SHINE provides hands-on, nature-based education and recreation to underserved students, including SED, ELL, and SPED populations. The program integrates Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards and emphasizes the benefits of eating locally and sustainably. SHINE also includes a Charlie Cart Outdoor Kitchen System and ongoing support for long-term sustainability and replication at other schools.

The City of Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department is facilitating a range of sustainable container gardening educational workshops that enhance gardening opportunities for all and furthering its goals to cultivate urban biodiversity and equity for the community. Container gardening is a form of gardening in which plants are grown in containers such as pots, planters, or raised beds, rather than in the ground. Container gardens are moveable and easily adaptable to many locations. This method of gardening can be used in a variety of settings, including small balconies, patios, and decks.

The Authority helped to fund the City of San José’s project to construct an outdoor classroom for Guadalupe Oak Grove Park patrons that serves as a space for environmental education programs and nature-based outdoor play. This space invites families to spend time in nature while also encouraging them to learn about the five different ecosystems within the park and the various wildlife that live there.