Gilroy
– A group of 21 Gilroy leaders has a plan to tap into the
educational potential of Bonfante Gardens, to the benefit of the
family theme park and local students.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – A group of 21 Gilroy leaders has a plan to tap into the educational potential of Bonfante Gardens, to the benefit of the family theme park and local students.
Leadership Gilroy’s Class of 2004 strategy includes funding and setting up an educational day at the park for Gilroy fourth-graders and high school horticulture students; starting a membership program to help maintain Bonfante’s horticulture; and pursuing grants to support the Bonfante board and a newly-formed Educational Foundation Committee.
“What we’re trying to develop, obviously, is the non-profit side, the educational side of Bonfante Gardens,” said Lloyd Lowrey, an attorney in Gilroy and part of Leadership Gilroy 2004.
The class presented its final project – nine months in the making – to its board and the Bonfante Gardens board last week, to a warm reception. Now, the group will begin putting together a two-year plan to set its vision in motion.
“We chose to focus on involving the community more in the life and development of Bonfante Gardens,” Lowrey said.
“It is underutilized for the invaluable resource it is,” said Jan Janes, programming manager of CMAP and Leadership Gilroy graduate who is working on the project.
Both Lowrey and Janes will be part of a 10-member Educational Foundation Committee that will promote Bonfante’s commitment to education. All 10 members are new Leadership Gilroy graduates, and will serve for a year or two. Later, Bonfante’s board will be responsible for appointing members, but one slot will always be held by a Leadership grad.
“That will provide some turnover, but also a source of stability,” Lowrey said.
The first education piece the committee’s working on is an annual day in the horticultural theme park for Gilroy fourth-graders.
“That provides a real, immediate education piece for this year,” Lowrey said.
Before and during the field trip, the students will be taught lessons in horticulture by Gilroy High School students.
“I think it’s great, I think it’s going to be really good for the high school kids to work with the fourth-graders,” said Heather Nolan, GHS horticulture teacher.
Jacki Horejs, Gilroy Unified School District’s assistant superintendent of educational services, said tutoring sessions between the high schoolers and elementary students will give them some background knowledge before a hands-on day at the park, which will probably happen in May or June.
“We’re going to be using a curriculum that is matched to the fourth grade science standards and does have to do with plant life and horticulture,” Horejs said.
The foundation will pay not only for the field trip itself, but for the curriculum development process as well. Leadership Gilroy raised more than $11,000 through a bowl-a-thon last month to fund the trip.
“We had to pat ourselves on the back for that one,” Janes said.
Leadership Gilroy plans to continue funding the students’ field trip, and eventually hopes to expand it to include students from Morgan Hill and Hollister.
Other fundraising, specifically pursuing organizational and educational grants, is the second charter of the Educational Foundation Committee. An application for a $10,000 grant from the Union Pacific Foundation already is under consideration.
“This will support the curriculum development and teacher training, and help the Educational Foundation Committee get its feet on the ground,” Lowrey said.
The third prong of support offered by the committee is a membership program similar to those at other arboreta, where people would donate money to the park in exchange for perks like discounted tickets or memorabilia. Money from the associate members would go toward ongoing maintenance of the park, which Lowrey said was $250,000 per year. The levels of membership aren’t established yet, but they probably will mirror other organizations, with $100, $250 and $500 levels.
“We know that there are 6,000 season ticket holders,” Lowrey said. “It seems possible we could develop a membership of 1,000 and we know there’s ticket holders from all over.”
Now, the Educational Foundation Committee is looking forward to planning for the coming year, said Patricia DelBene, committee chair and CFO of Go Kids.
“We’re just more or less jumping into the committee,” she said. “We need to find volunteers for each of the three pieces. … The committee will be challenged.”
As the committee becomes more structured and its plans are set into motion, Janes will be producing a video of the project so Bonfante Gardens and future committee members will know exactly how it started.
Leadership Gilroy develops people to become leaders both in their own organizations and in the community at large. This year’s Leadership Gilroy class, which officially graduates today, marks the seventh group of leaders that has completed the program. The graduates represent various business, education and community groups.
Helping hand
– Educational Foundation Committee
Group will promote
non-profit mission of Bonfante Gardens
Will create an education program for Gilroy fourth-graders and high school horticulture students who will use Bonfante Gardens as an outdoor classroom
– Membership
Associate memberships to the park available, probably with three different levels
Members would pay annual dues and make
tax-deductible donations to support park maintenance
– Fundraising
Committee will pursue grants to support its educational program and the horticultural aspect
