Gardening and Games to "Make a Difference"

Since March 2010, CVN volunteers have been making a difference at Arlington Traditional School (ATS). To mark the end of our second season of service at ATS, CVN is helping to host a Fall Festival at the school on Saturday, October 22. And if that wasn’t already a big enough deal, the event is also CVN’s opportunity to celebrate Make a Difference Day, a nationwide commemoration of community service.

In the last two years CVN volunteers have shared more than 200 hours of their time to transform the schoolyard garden at ATS into a fun, safe, and biodiverse place to learn and play. As a result, ATS students have ventured outdoors during the school day to learn about a wide range of subjects—from science and math, to reading and art. By directly observing the relationship between butterflies and native plants or sowing seeds that will grow into nutritious vegetables, students have the opportunity to learn by doing—an approach that pays off when it’s time for test taking.

Come to the Fall Festival to see how much our work means to the students, families, and staff of ATS. Kids, parents, neighbors, and CVN volunteers will be enjoying the fall day with games (sack race, anyone?), crafts, pumpkin pie, and apple cider. And for those of us who just can’t help but get dirty—we’ll be continuing our contribution to the garden by laying paving stones so kids will know where it’s safe to walk. If you haven’t yet registered to volunteer, sign up now! Can't wait to see you there.