Elm School has received the 2022 Community Spirit Award from the City of Wyoming Urban Forestry & Beautification Commission. Through a collaboration among Elm School, the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, the Elm Inspiration Garden began as a way for students to learn more about the importance of pollinators. Community members, students, staff, and administrators have partnered to establish and maintain the space.
"We created the garden on a once empty and ignored part of our playground," said Teacher Richard Schaen. "It now serves as a resource for lessons and projects, and it's a gathering spot where students and visitors like to just relax and hang out."
With a wide variety of plants selected to attract many different pollinators, there are plenty of cool things to observe. Additionally, Queen City Pollinator Project, a local nonprofit organization, has helped to create educational opportunities connected to the garden.
Created on either side of a ramp leading to a lower part of the Elm School playground, the Elm Inspiration Garden is an inclusive addition to the school that can be enjoyed by all - humans and pollinators.
Elm School students and staff are excited that the garden will attract butterflies and help support the City of Wyoming's participation in the National Wildlife Federation Mayors' Monarch Pledge.
