Junior Green Thumbs®

Passion Project by REALTOR® Laura McBride

Junior Green Thumbs® is a passion project/initiative created by REALTOR® Laura McBride. It is an inspired hands on program that connects Jk - High school students with nature in engaging ways.

Every property that Laura sells, whether working with a seller or a buyer, means that another Teacher is gifted a fully equipped indoor garden for their classroom.

The program currently runs in Durham, Durham Catholic, Toronto and York Region School Boards in Ontario, and supports classrooms from kindergarten to grade 12.

The program provides opportunities and empowerment for students to experience and participate in essential life skill learning such as seed starting, basic gardening, meal preparation, carpentry, community outreach and more. The aim of the project is to support and inspire Teachers, to provide these meaningful, hands on natural connections right in their own classrooms.

To make the program useful to teachers, within guidelines of the Ontario Elementary School Curriculum, Laura has collaborated with key partners in education, to ensure the project is a helpful, inspirational tool in the classroom. Together with incredible teacher support, this garden initiative has been integrated into math, language, science, art and health to ensure every teacher who requests a garden in their classroom can use it in the best way for them and their students.

Since 2015, hundreds of students have benefited and have been inspired by the program. Huge thanks to the incredible home buyers and sellers who choose Laura McBride to guide them through their real estate sale, directly benefiting this project. If you are planning on making a move, you too can help some little hands get dirty, with another classroom garden.

Please help spread the word about this project. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling real estate, your referral will greatly benefit the program! If you know of a Teacher who may wish to join the waitlist they can register HERE

A MESSAGE FROM LAURA

"This 4 season indoor gardening program was designed for Canadian elementary school classrooms, and has expanded to include High School as well. It is currently running in Durham, Toronto and York Region schools.

The objective of the program is to connect children with nature and empower essential life skills for a healthy, productive future, all while supporting Teachers in their role as inspired educators. I founded the program with the collaboration and support of Teachers, Robyn Hadder, Heather Spink-Turner and Kristy Dale, and the program has been successful at integrating engaging, natural experiences with core curriculum strands in math, art, language, science, health and nutrition.

The garden itself, was designed to be an object of beauty in the classroom, to inspire calmness and creative thought for the students and their forward thinking, collaborative teachers.

Being a very sensory aware person, I find great inspiration through what my senses absorb around me. By providing a positive, useful sensory experience for students that share this, fills in a gap that is often found in today's schools, especially for those students who may rely on different experiences to excel.

As the project moves forward, new ideas, inspiration and collaborations will further expand the rich learning experiences for students from Kindergarten to grade 12.

Together, let's create a brighter future—one SOLD and one garden at a time."

SELLING HOUSES | GIFTING GARDENS!

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IF YOU ARE A TEACHER

In Loving Memory of Brian Renaud. Brian's participation in our first two pilot years, helped the project flourish and grow into what it is today. Always in our hearts.