A few months ago I shared here an update on the terrific happenings in our advisory program, now in its second year, at St. Gregory.   As I wrote then, this new initiative incorporates into advisory a service learning program, and we motivated advisory groups to plan and commit to a larger service project by offering “mini-grants,” available through a formal, grant-writing, process.

Now here are the results!   From a recent school newsletter:

As part of the One School, One City initiative, we’ve awarded 6 wonderful advisory project ideas with mini-grant funding raised from St. Gregory’s Family Association participation in the Shop & Give program. If you have not yet signed up with this program, please be sure to register at participating stores. The Family Association Shop & Give generated $1800 last year to support the following advisory projects:

Ms. Bancroft’s advisory will continue their work in the 6th grade courtyard building a community garden. They plan on purchasing seeds for produce and an orange tree! Their goal is to be able to cook a meal at Primavera using the produce they’ve grown.

Ms. Berry’s advisory will host presentations about desert biodiversity by The Sonoran Desert Museum. The presentations will take place on Challenge Day on April 20, 2012 and add a new component to St Gregory’s celebration of diversity.

Mr. Clashman’s advisory will establish a water harvesting system on Middle School campus by the administration building. They are partnering with a former alum and current U of A student who is helping with the logistics and design of the system. Their goal is to reduce our campus waste of water and aide in the beautification processes happening in the Middle School courtyards.

Mr. Decker’s advisory will be launching their project, “Building a Desert Community: One Seed at a Time.” They will partner with Tucson’s Audubon Society, Friend’s of Ft. Lowell Park, and other community members to begin growing native plants from seed here on campus. Students will research plants and raise them from seed until they plant them either here on campus or other places in our community.

Ms. Derickson and Ms. Clashman’s advisory will continue their work with the Ben’s Bells project by creating beads that will be used in the wind chimes that the non-profit distributes to spread a message of kindness in our community.

Mr. Herzog’s advisory will begin work on installing a 400 watt wind turbine (power generator) at the laptop charging ramada. Their goal is to increase St Gregory’s usage of eco-friendly energy sources while also building a unique, interesting installation on our campus.

Dr. Alex Shawn’s advisory has decided to Adopt A Roadway through Pima County. Our first clean up will be taking place next Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 11 am to 4 pm and we want to get as many Upper School students and their families as we can! We will provide snacks, water, sunscreen, and work gloves. People who wish to volunteer alongside their Upper School St. Gregory students should plan on bringing a refillable water bottle, and wearing jeans, closed-toed shoes, and a long sleeve shirt.

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