Plants are our passion – the way they provide us food, connect us with the natural world, and make our built spaces more beautiful. And what we love most is sharing that passion with others. That’s why we’re so excited to invite everyone to our Educators’ Day on July 28th, from 11am to 1pm.
Join us for the chance to meet some of the amazing Omaha organizations working with our local schools to inspire kids through hands-on learning – all related to urban agriculture, gardening, and nature conservation. Plus, we’ll have delicious food and a chance to win some great prizes for your favorite local school. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, school administrator, or just interested in learning about what’s happening in our community, we hope you’ll join us!
Get Inspired by Our Community Partners
See what so many students are up to here in Omaha – using art to teach others about locally-based food systems, learning about vegetable gardening from a mobile farm, and doing their part to conserve nature here in our city. With these and so many other great programs being offered in our community, we’re sure you’ll find new inspiration and resources to bring these ideas to life in your own school, classroom, or corner of the community.
Some of the folks you’ll meet include:
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – The team from our world-famous zoo will be here to share their exciting hands-on program that gives citizen scientists like us the chance to contribute to crucial ecological research – teaching students to tag and release monarch butterflies.
- Lauritzen Gardens – With 100 acres of beautiful gardens and natural spaces, Lauritzen Gardens offers a wide range of educational programs to meet academic standards for ages from preschool to high school and beyond.
- Fontenelle Forest – Dedicated to the conservation of local natural habitats, the team from Fontenelle Forest will be here – along with one of the live raptors from their Raptor Recovery program – to share about the many educational programs they offer both in the classroom and in the forest.
- No More Empty Pots – This dedicated group of community gardeners and educators will share about their unique opportunity, Project Localize. Through this engaging, multi-disciplinary program, kids participate in positive economic and social growth in their communities by talking with local food growers, exploring how local food systems work, and using art to share what they learned.
- City Sprouts – This group strives to increase the availability of fresh, nutritious produce in the community, and their mobile garden project, Truck Farm Omaha, is part of that mission. This fun, interactive display – a pickup truck planted with an edible garden – travels to schools, showing kids where their food comes from and inspiring them to start a garden of their own.
- Gifford Farm Education Center – Located in Bellevue, Gifford Farm offers an array of outdoor ecology- and farm-based education programs. Their Animals on the Go exhibit – a traveling band of assorted small farm animals – focuses attention on the products these animals provide for us, including eggs, wool, and milk. (Eugene the duck is a favorite – we’re hoping he makes an appearance.)
- Heron Haven – Our neighbors and friends at Heron Haven will be here as well to share about the various educational opportunities offered at their beautiful wetland sanctuary staffed entirely by volunteers.
Lunch + Ice Cream
While you’re here, be sure to grab a delicious lunch from Stirnella, a favorite restaurant in Omaha’s Blackstone District. Their name is inspired by the scientific name of Nebraska’s state bird, and their menu features items inspired by locally grown, seasonal ingredients. Also joining us are our friends from Coneflower Creamery to serve up some delicious ice cream too. Don’t forget to bring cash – we wouldn’t want you to miss out!
Enter to Win For Your School
During the event, be sure to enter for a chance to win some great prizes for your favorite local school, including a pass for two to attend one of the many excellent teacher workshops offered by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – awarded to two lucky winners. Our grand prize is $500 in pollinator-friendly plants plus a consultation with one of our landscape designers to help your school install an educational pollinator garden. Or win five free passes to explore Fontenelle Forest or Lauritzen Gardens with your family or friends. Stop by our popular Plant ID Quiz for a fun prize for yourself too.
Let’s Get Connected
We hope you’ll join us on July 28th for an afternoon of making connections and building our community. Great things happen when we work together to inspire the next generation of plant-lovers and community leaders.
