Educational Landscape at Allen Middle School

With your generosity, we can transform one of the courtyards at Allen Middle School in Camp Hill, PA into an educational landscape for use by students of the West Shore School District. Not only will this space provide an alternative, outdoor classroom environment and socially distanced area, but it will also be home to a variety of unique native and non-invasive species (many of them edible) for children to grow, enjoy, and share. Supporting this project means supporting the next generation of students with a hands-on connection to the environment, encouraging innovative thinking, and creating a valuable learning experience for students about ecology and our food systems. Even better is the courtyard’s existing connection with history (the space is called the “Vietnam Peace Courts”) which provides the JROTC program at Cedar Cliff with a unique opportunity to get involved with the project by donating their time to make this vision a physical reality and providing the means for a rededication ceremony for veterans to occur in the spring. 

What do we need funding for?

So how can you get involved and contribute to this project? First and foremost, we need every landscaping material you can think of including: 

Mulch
Wood Chips
Benches and Picnic Tables
And of course... a lot of plants!

On behalf of the over 500 students currently attending Allen Middle School who will be enjoying this new addition to their school, THANK YOU in advance for supporting this project. 

How will your donation be handled?

The West Shore Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for students and teachers in the West Shore School District will receive your funds and provide them to the project as needed. 


A Message from Allen Alumni and Project Organizer Madison: 

Growing up, I have found my passion in working with children whether it be tutoring during my free time at school, volunteering to teach kids on my weekends, or traveling across the world on mission trips. During my junior year, I was presented with a unique new opportunity to reach children by way of the Aquaponics course newly offered at Cedar Cliff. My experience in Aquaponics transformed my time in high school, giving me real-world business experience and exposing me to agriculture for the first time in my education thus far. Over time, I started to look back on my middle and elementary school years and found myself wishing that I had the opportunity to be exposed to agriculture and the hands-on experiences that come with it at an early age. The construction of this educational landscape provides children at Allen Middle School with an opportunity to participate in education differently than they would from the traditional classroom experience. Again, I cannot thank you enough for supporting my venture to broaden the scope of education and to provide kids with a safe, outdoor space to enjoy for years to come.