GROW TEAM

The GROW Team’s primary goal is to create and maintain useful and attractive outdoor classrooms that can be used to enhance every child’s learning experiences.  If you have questions or would like to volunteer for GROW Team, please email growteam@ravensworthpta.org.

Did you know?
The National Research Council has urged that, "students at every grade level should be involved with gardening projects… The ecological and agricultural importance of plants should be a major point of emphasis." NASA scientists have discovered that the presence of plants stimulate learning because of their ability to increase oxygen and negative ions in the air and remove pollutants. Over 80% of the information our brain receives is visual, so light and color are important attributes that affect how the brain learns.

 
 GROW Team projects are specifically designed to incorporate the Fairfax County Public School curriculum and to support the Standard of Learning requirements.  And brain-based learning research shows us that the brain learns through the senses; so what is seen, felt, heard, and even smelled can have surprising effects.  GROW Team projects seek to capitalize on the brain’s ability to learn through the senses by creating sensory learning opportunities outdoors and in. 
The GROW Team is responsible for a number of projects you’ll see around the school.  When possible, we work with other groups within the community, such as the Boy Scouts, Civic Associations, and High School clubs to complete projects.  Click here to see pictures of some of our projects.  

We Need Volunteer Support!

The GROW Team is staffed by caring and involved Ravensworth parents.  We aren’t looking for master landscapers – we’re looking for parents who want to have some fun getting their hands dirty.  We work hard to avoid asking for tremendous commitments of anyone’s time.  We’re all busy.  We live by the idea that many hands make light work.  We welcome everyone to join in our scheduled activities, but we also benefit from the benevolence of any busy parent who takes five minutes to pull weeds out of the garden by the front entrance when they pick up their kids from school or by the SACC entrance when they take time to let their kids enjoy the playground, or in the butterfly garden as they walk back to the parking lot after a Saturday soccer game.  Five minutes of effort from 20 parents equals at least an hour’s worth of weeding by a dedicated GROW volunteer.  Every little bit of effort makes a big difference!  

We will send e-mails to our volunteers and put notices in PTA publications in advance of all scheduled workdays, which are always scheduled on Saturdays, from 9:00 am until we collapse.  If it rains, we’ll meet the next day (on Sunday).  If it rains again, we’ll reschedule.

Children are always warmly welcomed at all our projects and in our gardens – so bring the family!  This is a great way for your 6th grader to complete those required community service hours!

We hope to see you outside!

Alone we can do so little;
Together we can do so much.
                                                       —Helen Keller    

Just a few of our garden critters!