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Students planting flowers in 1997.

A garden is born at Prairie. Project Prairie, the brain child of 1st grade teacher, Maureen Beaudet and 4th grade teacher, Becky Lewis began its early stages of planning on April 22nd, 1993. This initiative was an attempt by parents, teachers and students to create an “outdoor classroom” for hands on learning about the environment and sustainable living. A Hummingbird garden, Vegetable garden, and a Touch, Taste and Smell garden were part of the planned landscape. A weeping Mulberry tree was to be planted and called the “Reading Tree,” a spot where students could enjoy the garden while reading a book.

To help this vision come to life Members of the Project Prairie Committee applied for an Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site grant (OWLS) to help fund the project. Students held fundraisers and raised $79 and $163 for bird feeders. The Shawnee Mission Education Fund (SMEF) gave the school $136 for soil testing kits.

On April 28th, 1995, the garden officially opened at Prairie. With the help of Prairie students, teachers and parents, Master Gardener Linda Johnson worked to design Project Prairie. “Inch by Inch, row by row, we’re going to make this garden grow,” sang students. “The sky is high and the ocean is deep, but we can’t treat the planet like a garbage heap,” chanted Mrs. Foster’s 3rd grade class. The garden opened the doors for unconventional learning and opened students’ eyes to the importance of working with soil and cultivating growth.

Later in the year, a replica of the original one-room schoolhouse was built as a shed to store garden supplies, and Pollywog Pond was dedicated in 1996, with first graders helping to release goldfish into their new home.

Shortly after in 1997, parents and teachers created Art in the Garden, an event that brought students into the garden as an inspired setting to create art. Students were coached by local artists who helped get them started on paintings and other crafts. This event has grown into an annual tradition at Prairie.

The garden also gave way to Prairie’s 6th Grade Leadership Program. Parents and teachers saw an opportunity to help older Prairie students become more actively involved in planning an implementing school projects. In the programs’ first year, 6th grade students were responsible for securing a grant for Project Prairie as well as developing some curriculum for it.

Wild Oats of Mission presented Prairie with $500 for pay for four compost bins and two worm boxes as a result of 6th grade students presenting their proposal. And later in the year, the 6th Grade Leadership Committee was named a Promise Award recipient for KC Consensus, and was honored at an Awards dinner at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center.

Prairie’s 6th Grade Leadership program continues today with opportunities to plan the Variety Show and manage businesses for a day with the Prairie Village Shops.

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1995, April 22: Cover, Susan. “Prairie dedicates land for garden.” The Kansas City Star. N1-N3 1995, April 28: Thurkill, Stella. “Prairie School dedicates area of new outdoor classroom.” The Sun Newspapers. P. 6A

1995, August 30: Denesha, Julie. “Gardeners gather for special day at Project Prairie.” The Kansas City Star. p. 14

1995, October 7: Cover, Susan. “Project Prairie to add One-room Schoolhouse,” The Kansas City Star

1996, June 12: Bessier, Elaine. “Prairie students turn project into a park for everyone.” The Sun Newspapers. 1996, June 29: McSpadden, Susan. “Polliwog Pond gets Prairie School family’s blessing.” The Kansas City Star.

1996, September 11: Hasch, Elsa. “Prairie home to caterpillars, polliwogs, butterflies.” The Kansas City Star.

Undated KC Star Clipping, “Prairie garden source of pride, education.” The Kansas City Star

Undated KC Star Clipping, Schneider, Roberta Johnson. “Involving pupils in leadership wins recognition for 23 Prairie.” The Kansas City Star.