The Holle Family Foundation funding providing construction materials and supplies for the Shelby County High School Instructional Garden. The garden project is a collaboration between The Working Wildcats students and Future Farmers of America at Shelby County High School. The Working Wildcats are a group of high school special education students who have a school-based business called “H.O.P.E.” herbs offering personal enrichment. The garden was built by students at the Shelby County High School technical program.
Excerpt from the Shelby County High School final report:
The Shelby County High School Instructional Garden will provide over 3,000 students with hands on learning 5 days a week for an academic schoolyear. Employment skills aligned with transition and career standards will be taught to 3,000 children and persons with disabilities 5 days a week for an entire academic school year. Through school tour and instructional tours training and harvesting skills will be provided to over 5,000 students over an entire academic school year. Through the community garden that Future Farmers of America at Shelby County High will provide free produce to over 1,000 unserved individuals. The HOPE garden will provide persons with disabilities a school-based business for 20 students over the next 20 years. The school-based business provides SCHS special education program, The Working Wildcats, with non-public funding for instructional supplies over the next 20 years. Summers will provide 35 elderly community members involved in gardening clubs with a work site for growth and development.