The Patriot's Sanctuary Outdoor Garden Classroom

This garden has been the Second place receipient of Keep Georgia Beautiful Award for 2004. This garden is a courtyard area that provides place to sit back and listen to sounds of nature in near downtown Bainbridge, Georgia. Students have to opportunities to observing the sights and sounds of a micro-ecosystem, a place to write and develop other academic skills in the outdoors. This project was begun to help not only to beautify our school grounds and and the surrounding community, but to provide hands on activities for students to gain responsibility in caring for the environment by planting plants and seeds to grow.

Potter Street teachers want to provide a place that students can learn to develop not only in academic areas, but be well rounded in learning skills that they can take back into their community.

Potter Street Faculty and staff believe that the more opportunities that you provide for a child to learn about nature and the outdoors will instill in them the love for the environment.

This program began in 1997 with a few daylilies that were donated to the school. An small area began development in the thought if we plant it they, (critters and plants) will come. This is definitely what has happened. This area of the school held only a satellite dish with a chain linked fence and grass. Students and teachers began planting grade level beds and a tool shed was purchsed with a Georgia Outdoor Classroom Grant. Throughout the development of this area focus has been changed from planting grade level beds to several educational areas consisting of a Butterfly Garden, Native Plant area, a Wetland pond, Flower beds, Container garden, a four feett long, two feet wide, by three feet high Root- view garden, a Composting area, and a Small greenhouse. The classroom for students with moderate intellectual disabilities is the core class that manages most of the garden. Students in all grade levels have access to the garden to do activities that enrich what the teachers are teaching in the classroom. This program has been funded with projects such as a quilt raffle, parent donations, community donations, educational grants, and volunteer help. This lush area continues to develop every year. It is an ongoing process that changes yearly.