Last summer when we connected with Dr. Michele Cone, the Chief School Administrator of the Califon School we jumped at the chance to team up with this wonderful school for the entire 2022/2023 school year with custom SEL programs for their students, teachers and families.
This idyllic school is nestled in the pastoral back roads of Hunterdon County, NJ. Driving up to their campus is like driving through a Norman Rockwell painting; passing farms, rolling hills, historical bridges, and wide open skies. The close knit and small community of Califon has 100 students total in grades K-8 in their school. What made this experience extra special for us was this was the first time we got to work and connect directly with middle school aged students. In efforts to keep our SEL program age appropriate for them, we created a custom Peer Gardening Program for the older students to team up with their younger classmates on You Are a Gardener® based projects throughout the year.
Through the course of the school year with multiple in-person school wide assemblies, working with their staff on our One-Click SEL Program for teachers and a private web link for their families to keep it 'growing' at home, this overall experience took major root!
To celebrate all the Gardener Growth at the Califon School this year, we teamed up with the middle school students for one last Peer Gardening Project and worked together to create our signature Humongous Hopscotch for the elementary students. Breaking off into groups to create the hopscotch designs and stepping back to look at how beautifully all the pieces came together was very symbolic of our year at Califon. (Scroll down to watch a video that will make you jump for joy!)
We are so grateful for Dr. Cone and all her interest and support of our programs this year. Her sincere connection with her students, staff and community creates such a nurturing, supportive and successful environment. We can't wait to see where it' grows'!
<< PRESS PLAY TO WATCH OUR VIDEO OF THE CALIFON SCHOOL'S HUMONGOUS CELEBRATION >>
<< PRESS PLAY TO WATCH OUR VIDEO OF THE CALIFON SCHOOL'S HUMONGOUS CELEBRATION >>
All the middle school students jumped in and helped create a spectacular Humongous Hopscotch for their younger classmates! It was a GIANT hit!
Gardener Aidan jumped at the chance to help create the Humongous Hopscotch at the Califon School at their Gardener Culmination Celebration.
He was a HUGE help and it was so wonderful to share this experience with him!
The elementary students were literally jumping for joy!
Thank you to Dr. Cone and the staff for welcoming our program and helping it taking it root! Thank you to the students of the Califon School for keeping it 'growing'! You are gardeners!
Another big finish to the Califon School Gardener Culmination Event was a HUMONGOUS Certificate of Accomplishment for the HUMONGOUS achievements made this year!