Join the Sprouts Gardening Program!

Hacienda Sprouts Gardening Program

Sprouts is Hacienda’s community of volunteer parents and grandparents who help students connect with nature through gardening. Through hands-on experiences in the garden, students learn about plant life cycles, ecology, nutrition, earth science, and the importance of caring for our environment. Students also experience the excitement of growing, harvesting, and tasting fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sprouts volunteers work alongside teachers and students in classroom gardens and other garden projects. The program provides gardening lessons, activities, and support for volunteers. Through HIPS, donations, grants, and fundraisers such as plant sales, Sprouts provides seeds, compost, soil, pots, gloves, and other gardening supplies.

Our 5th grade students also participate in activities in Hacienda’s permaculture food forest, which includes fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and native drought-tolerant plants.

Each classroom garden is most successful with 1 Garden Docent and 1–4 Garden Helpers.

Garden Docent Responsibilities

• Attend six monthly training/material preparation meetings (approximately 30–60 minutes each). Lessons and materials are provided.
• Coordinate lesson dates with the classroom teacher.
• Teach six scripted Sprouts lessons during the school year (approximately 45–60 minutes each, plus setup and cleanup time).
• Review lessons ahead of time to become comfortable presenting them.
• Lead and support gardening activities in the classroom garden bed with the help of Garden Helpers.

Garden Helper Responsibilities

• Help plant, water, maintain, and harvest the classroom garden.
• Assist the Docent during Sprouts lessons.
• Help organize a garden care schedule to keep the garden thriving.

Yearly Gardening Activities

Throughout the school year, volunteers and students will:

• Prepare and refresh garden beds.
• Learn the science behind gardening and plant growth.
• Plant, water, and care for vegetables and plants.
• Harvest garden crops.
• Collect seeds for future planting.

We hope every class will have volunteers to help make the Sprouts program successful. Before working in the gardens, volunteers will receive training on garden protocols to help preserve and care for these special spaces that have been built through years of dedication and hard work.

Please consider joining our core parent volunteer team! If you have questions, email sprouts@hips.rocks or post a message in the Konstella Sprouts group.