Monday May 19, 2009

NEW YORK RESTORATION PROJECT FOUNDED BY BETTE MIDLER (who was in attendance, though not featured in video) CELEBRATE


THE OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY'S FIRST CERTIFIED NATURE EXPLORE CLASSROOM

WITH NYRP'S NEWLY DESIGNED THE HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION COMMUNITY GARDEN


--Ribbon Cutting Celebration in New York's East Harlem Neighborhood

New York Restoration Project (NYRP) founder, Bette Midler, and The Home Depot(r) Foundation President, Kelly Caffarelli joined 20 students from East Harlem's PS 155 to participate in the first environmental education lesson at the new The Home Depot Foundation Community Garden. Bette, Kelly and the neighborhood students gathered for an interactive and engaging educational activity led by NYRP Chief
Education Officer, Akiima Price.

The Home Depot Foundation Community Garden is the only garden in New York City to earn the national designation of a certified Nature Explore Classroom from the Arbor Day Foundation. New York Restoration Project will host numerous classes in the new garden from the organization's recently launched "Nature in My Neighborhood" curriculum to educate and inspire students to have a positive connection with nature and New York City's urban forest and green spaces.


Developed in response to the growing disconnect between children and nature, certified Nature Explore Classrooms are designed to help fill the void by educating young children using research-based principles for integrating nature into their daily learning. The Home Depot Community Garden is one of 55 community gardens owned and operated by the NYRP throughout the city's five boroughs. Each garden engages hundreds of community members, young and old, in some of the city's most underresourced neighborhoods.