US: Syngenta selects inaugural recipients for Grow More Vegetables seed grant program

Syngenta congratulates the inaugural recipients of the Syngenta Grow More Vegetables seed grant program. Selected from more than 200 entries by schools and organizations across the U.S., the three deserving applicants received garden grant packages that create opportunities to educate local communities on the benefits of fresh vegetable production and consumption.

The recipients are:

Elementary and Middle School Category- Centreville Elementary (Centreville, Va.)
High School and FFA Chapter Category-Colby Middle/High School (Colby, Wis.)
Community Garden Category- Garfield Community Action Team (Pittsburgh)

Centreville Elementary School (CES) is highly diverse with 5 percent of its student population described as possessing learning challenges, 15 percent non-English speaking and 10 percent identified as economically disadvantaged. "CES Outdoor Learning Program provides an innovative and unique framework where students use hands-on, critical thinking strategies rather than traditional learning to engage in agriculture first-hand," said Nadine Kaiser, the school's grant reporter. "Each teacher is required to teach at least one lesson per week in the garden, ranging from counting seeds for kindergärtners to learning about how environment impacts plant growth for fifth graders.

Melissa Ploeckelman, FFA advisor at Colby Middle/High School, believes the grant will allow much of the produce grown by students through their garden program to serve as fresh, healthy options in the school cafeteria. Additionally, the grant will expose more than 75 percent of Colby students and community members to agricultural educational initiatives that they would not receive otherwise.

Located in a food desert, the Garfield neighbourhood of Pittsburgh lacks a full service grocery store and more than 40.6 percent of households are at or below the poverty level. The Garfield Community Action Team (GCAT) hosts educational programs for neighbourhood families about gardening and the importance of producing and consuming fresh, healthy food.

"The garden was a community response to a particularly tragic three months involving fatal gun-related incidents within the two-block radius of the garden. It has been the catalyst for change-bringing people out of their homes to forge new connections and strengthen community bonds," said Minette Vaccarello, GCAT lead organizer.

Mary Streett DeMers, Syngenta vegetables communications lead, and Jeannine Bogard, Syngenta garden vegetables product business manager, have high hopes for each of the recipients and look forward to seeing the fruits of their labour as the season progresses. "We are ecstatic to assist our three recipients in the establishment or advancement of their garden programs," said DeMers. "Our goal with the Syngenta Grow More Vegetables seed grant program is to help increase hands-on educational opportunities and enhance healthy eating programs driven by our new partners, serving as a catalyst for positive change in communities across America."

To apply or learn more about the Syngenta Grow More Vegetables Seed Grant Program and its recipients, visit www.vegetables.syngenta-us.com.

For more information:
Syngenta
Mary Streett DeMers
336-632-2156
mary.demers@syngenta.com

Jeannine Bogard
408-847-3530
Jeannine.bogard@syngenta.com