Chrystine Gaffney, a Verona resident who is a certified master gardener, has let us know that there’s going to be a master gardener class in our area for kids, beginning in March. Better yet, it’s free.
The Junior Master Gardener program is an international youth gardening program of the Texas A&M University Cooperative Extension network. It engages children in novel, hands-on group and individual learning experiences that provide a love of gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind.
The Junior Master Gardener program also inspires youths to be of service to others through service learning and leadership development projects, and rewards them with certification and recognition. Children can get involved in exploring their world through meaningful acvities that encourage leadership development, personal pride and responsibility, and community involvement. Youth involved in the program develop critical thinking skills, and the ability to identify community concerns and take action to address them through individual group projects.
The program is open to children in third to fifth grade and will be held at the Caldwell Public Library, 268 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, on Tuesday afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. from March 7 to June 20. To attend, you need to register your kids by February 21 by calling the library at 973-226-2837 or e-mailing [email protected].
