Suzanne Cockrell, Engage Class at California College of the Arts
2011 – $1,125  Garden at Emerson Elemenary School, Oakland

This grant was used to fund the design and building of a small orchard and pollinator garden at Emerson K-5 Public Elementary School located in Oakland’s Temescal District. The orchard and garden are a community project which was part of an undergraduate Community Arts/Diversity Studies course at California College of the Arts (CCA).  The CCA students led by artist, Suzanne Cockrell, mentored thirty five 4th graders to plan and implement a garden for the school community.  Students germinated seeds for the pollinator garden, learned the botanical parts of a fruit tree and how fruit grows, foraged and tasted fruit from neighborhood trees, and helped sheet mulch and plant the orchard in their schoolyard.  The project developed a culture of stewardship for the orchard and through special assemblies, curriculum and harvest celebrations.  The students and school families will nurture and care for their orchard over time.