WEST ORANGE, NJ — Representatives from the Just Energy Foundation joined staff and students at Garden Academy in West Orange on Oct. 27 to officially open the Just Energy Sustainability Garden. Mayor Robert Parisi was on hand to celebrate the event, which marks the opening of new outdoor learning spaces for Garden Academy, a nonprofit school focused on applied behavior analysis for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
The $10,000 grant from the Just Energy Foundation enabled the building of two dedicated, wheelchair accessible outdoor areas, one being a garden in which students can plant and harvest vegetables throughout the year, and eventually host a small farmers market for the community. The second is an adjacent learning space where the students can work with their instructors on specialized educational programs.
“This is our sixth garden build in 12 months, and we couldn’t be more delighted to help bring this space, and the opportunity for supplemental learning, to so many deserving students and staff,” Just Energy Executive Director Kandi Terry said in a press release. “It is very important to us that all students have access to the outdoor classroom and garden so that each one of them can benefit from the unique experiential learning that the spaces offer. We are so impressed with the work of Garden Academy and their commitment to ensuring all students have the tools and resources to achieve their fullest potential.”
“All of the students and staff are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Just Energy,” Garden Academy Executive Director Laura Grow said in the release. “Our new outdoor classroom and garden provide many valuable opportunities for our students and staff, such as learning where our food comes from and how to be good stewards of the environment.”
Photos Courtesy of Devon Trabilsy
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