Grapevine Elementary, Heritage Elementary and Grapevine High School are recipients of the 2023 GIVES Grant Program from Keep Grapevine Beautiful in collaboration with Five Star Subaru-Grapevine. The grant program is aimed at supporting schools and organizations dedicated to environmental stewardship and community beautification.
Grapevine Elementary was awarded a $1,500 grant to replace three aging raised beds and create a space for students to plant and harvest herbs and vegetables. The project also includes the addition of 15 perennial plants to establish an urban sensory area and the installation of a compost bin.
Elyse Habenicht, GES PTA Environmental Chair, said that there is “value is knowing and experiencing the wonder of nature at a young age. It fosters a lifetime of environmental consciousness. We are grateful to the City of Grapevine, as they have provided us with the opportunity to enhance our garden.”
Heritage Elementary received $1,250 to repair and rebuild the outdoor garden fence, maintenance of existing vegetable beds, and overall improvement of the school garden.
Karrie Fox who is with HES PTA and serves as the Outdoor Learning Center Chair, said that the garden is “like that little gem in the neighborhood. For the garden club students, it’s a place to learn how to be good stewards of the environment and it’s always fun to see them so excited about the fruits of their labor.”
She added that the garden was started about a decade ago by Keep Grapevine Beautiful and that it’s tended to throughout the year by Tarrant County master gardeners who provide lessons about gardening to students.
Grapevine High School’s Ecology Center was awarded $1,000 to enhance directional signage within the Ecology Center, including a comprehensive map, labels, and information for key features such as the pollinator garden, nature trail, pond/waterfall, and Veterans Memorial Walk.
GHS science teacher and Ecology Club sponsor J.J. Burton is “thankful that we have community organizations, like Keep Grapevine Beautiful, that invest in and work together with local citizen and student groups to steward the land of our city.”
Grants were presented Monday, November 13.