Gilroy Gardens launched a new educational program to allow more
students the opportunity to attend the park. Now Gilroy elementary
students will be able to visit the Gardens in both the second and
fourth grades.
Gilroy Gardens launched a new educational program to allow more students the opportunity to attend the park. Now Gilroy elementary students will be able to visit the Gardens in both the second and fourth grades.
All 847 Gilroy Unified School District students in second grade and their chaperones had the chance to explore the park Tuesday for free thanks to an endowment from former Gardens board chair Robert Kraemer, who died in 2008.
The children who arrived on 16 buses were divided into groups of 150 and dispersed to six learning centers: Trees with Funny Shapes, Find the Food you Eat, Worms Eat Our Garbage, Who Looks Like Who, Plant Labeling and Rock Experiment.
The pilot project is an expansion of a program started six years ago for fourth grade students by the Leadership Gilroy Class of 2004. It covers the costs of busing, education centers, snacks, hot lunch and ride operation.
Fourth graders will get an opportunity Monday to explore the park. The fourth grade program has been subsidized by Gilroy Gardens for the past five years and offered for $5 per GUSD student and $15 for other students.
“It’s amazing to watch 850 grade two students move around the park” General Manager Barb Granter said. “I can’t thank the teachers and chaperones enough for helping to make Bob Kraemer’s request come true. The smiles on the children’s faces say it all.”
