National Wildlife Federation, America’s largest wildlife conservation and education organization, has recognized that Alphabets Preschool Center in Asbury Park has successfully created a Certified Schoolyard Habitat through its Garden for Wildlife program.
Alphabets Preschool has joined with over 5,000 schools nationwide that have transformed their schoolyards into thriving wildlife habitats that provides essential elements needed by all wildlife — natural food sources, clean water, cover and places to raise young. The habitat also serves as an outdoor education site where students can engage in cross-curricular learning in a hands-on way.
“At Alphabets we are excited to be able to provide hands-on learning opportunities for our students in an outdoor setting and providing a safe, healthy, loving environment for our Asbury Park children 3 to 5 years old” said director Esther Piekarski. “They will harvest their vegetables for our chief Miss Lisa Baker to add to our food program as a means of introducing our students to new healthy and seasonally grown foods by their own hands.”
The children learn about seedlings, watering and plant care in our organic garden of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and herbs. They also observe our bird feeder, birdhouse and solar fountain situated in our pollinator garden.
Certification also makes their gardens Certified Wildlife Habitat@ part of the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, a national effort to restore critical habitat for pollinators.
“We are excited to have another school join our growing list of more than 5,000 certified Schoolyard Habitats. Kids can now personally experience nature through hands-on learning in an outdoor environment,” said Liz Soper, Director of K-12 Programs for National Wildlife Federation.
Alphabets Preschool Center is located at 701 Grand Ave., Asbury Park.
