Grantee: Pueblo Vista Magnet School – Napa, CA
Project Title: Designing Rain Gardens for California Drought
Grant Type: ecoSolution
Description: California has had a history of severe droughts and was under a drought state of emergency from January 2014 until April 2017. The Pueblo Vista Magnet School is teaching their students the importance of groundwater and drought friendly gardens in California.
At Pueblo Vista, an environmental science magnet program, the students learn about the water cycle and sources of water with a more hands-on approach. Through this project, second and fourth-grade students collaboratively planned, designed, installed and studied a drought-tolerant native plant rain garden.
The students also brainstormed ways to beautify the area, while considering the water needs of the garden.
Continuous impact/Community engagement: Pueblo Vista engaged the surrounding community by inviting community supporters to help install the garden. The students are now in the process of creating educational signs to share how the rain garden works – in order to inform visitors and help them take the knowledge to their own yards and gardens. The Pueblo Vista garden also houses native pollen and nectar-producing plants for bees, butterflies, and other insect pollinators, which gives the student the opportunity to study local pollinators and bring science standards to life!