Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Student Leader Program / Bank of America 2012 Neighborhood Excellence Initiative

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s Student Leaders® Program is accepting applications for the 2012 program.

Since its inception in 2004, the Bank of America Student Leaders Program has recognized more than 1,600 exemplary high school juniors and seniors with a passion for improving their communities. The program helps students gain a greater understanding of how nonprofits create impact in the community and helps develop them as the next generation of community leaders through two components:

· A summer 2012 eight-week paid internship with selected nonprofit organizations designed to provide opportunities for the students to develop and apply leadership skills through hands-on work experience, while raising their awareness of community issues addressed by their Host Organization.

· A week-long all-expense paid Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., July 15-20. Conducted in partnership with the Close Up Foundation, the Summit introduces students to aspects of civic, social and business leadership and provides them with knowledge and skills they will use throughout their life to create positive community change.

Please note the application deadline of January 25, 2012

For more information on the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, please visit the website at http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation/


Friday, December 16, 2011

Weather at the Garden

There is a new weather camera at the Garden.
You can also get up to date weather info before your volunteer shifts!

Gardening Dec 11th






Thank you to all the TEENs who gardened last Sunday - Raven, Jeni, Tom, Kolby, Kenzie, Marcus, Isaih, Taylor, Alexander, Christina, Malavika, Kate, Miette, Pooja, and Maddy - THANK YOU!! The worm composter is doing great and enjoying it's new home inside! I’m looking forward to transplanting the herbs & veggies this Sunday after we finish constructing the spiral garden!


Monarch Larva Monitoring Project - update!

Our MLMP Trainer Gail notified me this morning that a wild monarch she tagged in her yard was documented in Kino Bay Mexico! That's over 400 miles!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Keyhole Gardens - Similar to Spiral

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7432972.stm

Here is the information on a type of keyhole garden in Africa. They have height like our spiral garden, making it easier for people to tend to their plants but this also has a composting section in the center.

Family tend their keyhole garden in Lesotho's central highlands

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A Brief Overview of Soil

Have you ever wanted to know how to explain carbon storage in soil better? Do you now?


This site contains current (sustainable) soil information of agricultural lands. Even though we are in an urban area, most of the info is still useful.

Additional soil projects and info can be found on the USDA soil site.


Enjoy!

Lumi Path Guide Training

Thank you to Aline, Brenda, Londy, Destiny, Kaitlyn, Maddy, Jessica, CJ & CJ for a great afternoon of lighting lumi candles and training to be a path guide.

Jeff thanks you as well and says that TEENs "do MUCH better at crouching down with hand lighters than us old folks."

Pam, Jeff and I appreciate your hard work, especially fighting the cold, wind and rain!

If you would still like to sign up for shifts, please email or call me to schedule.

Stay warm!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Pumpkin Patch Garden Update

The veggies, fruit and flowers are doing great!
Thank you to all the TEENs that have tending the Pumpkin Patch Garden this season!
The climbing white flowers are snow peas; leafy greens in middle are celery stalks; yellow and red marigolds and bushy carrot leafs in the back! (carrots are currently about the size of my pinky fingers.)
There is red cabbage up front, leafy spinach in the middle, ripe strawberries, and tall broccoli and cauliflower in the back.
The herb bed has large basil plants in the front and back, with marigolds and nasturtiums blooming throughout. The mint has taken over and the lemon verbena and sage are smelling wonderful!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Upgraded TEEN Patio!


Thank you to Izador, Abby, Rachel, Julia, Mathew, Kenzie, and Aline for your hard work and enthusiasm during Saturday's gardening event!

TEENs transplanted desert plants into half of the back bed to open up space for veggie gardening and digging for young kids, turned the chiminea into a planter, removed 4 jojobas and pruned them, painted rocks to form a snake bench for preschoolers, turned wagons into planters, spread wildflower seeds and more! It was a large task and you should all feel very accomplished!

Thank you!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Big Bug Brunch - Thank you!

Thank you to Meaghan, Emily, Maddy, Bomi, Brandon, Erica, CJ, & Korrina for a great weekend of insect crafts!

Friday, November 4, 2011

The Herbarium and its Digitization

For all you plant fanatics...

This is a good article the digitization project the Garden's Herbarium is doing by photographing and georeferencing the specimens. Hopefully, this project will allow the specimen information to be available to more than just researchers!

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-10/pressed-plants-are-data-too


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Dia de los Muertos - Thank you!


A BIG thank you goes out to Kaela, Julia, Joab, Kenzie, Ely and shown below, Alexander, Marcus and CJ with their new friends. You did a wonderful job at the craft area during the Day of the Dead celebration at the Garden.
Your hand-made papel picado flags looked amazing!
Thank you!

Big Bug Brunch


Shifts are available for TEENs to host the craft area this Saturday and Sunday's Big Bug Brunch from 9:15am to 12:30pm. Please conatct me to sign up for a shift! dbg.org/shop/events-exhibits/bug-brunch-11-6-11


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

A Great Pumpkin Thank You!

23 TEENs volunteered over 95 hours at the Pumpkin Festival last weekend - AMAZING!
Nancy, Pam, and Judy in Volunteer Services have all spoken very highly of your great enthusiasm, flexibility and customer service! Thank you!

BioBlitz 2011

TEENs did a wonderful job tracking signs of life near Javalina Trail in the Rincon Mountains during National Geographic's BioBlitz 2011.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Pumpkins are Native to the Southwest!

Enjoy this quick article about Pumpkins & Pollinators by The Xerces Society and get ready for fall!

Join the Pumpkin Festivities!

TEENS -
There are open shifts for the Pumpkin Festival this Saturday & Sunday from 8:15-11:30am and 11:00am - 3:30pm.

Come enjoy the fall season and celebrate this wonderful children's festival by hosting craft stations, carnival games, and more!

Don't miss the Pumpkin Patch Garden that is on display and looking very green!

Contact me to sign up!

Want to get involved?

TEENs & Parents or Grandparents:

Want to get involved in the Garden's community?

Attend the Parent/Grandparent & Teen Intergenerational Workshop on Sunday, November 20th from noon - 2:30pm. It is free of charge and a complementary lunch is included!

Contact Susan Shattuck for details at sshattuck@dbg.org or 480 941.3507


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Fall Plant Sale


The weather has been cooling down (for the most part) which means that it's time for the
Desert Botanical Garden's Fall Plant Sale!
TEENs have already volunteered to place price tags and have singed up for over 15 shifts during this 3 day event!
The Garden's Fall Plant Sale is this Saturday and Sunday, October 15 & 16 with a member preview tomorrow.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

The Garden's Research Department

TEEN Volutneers Joab, Aline, Alexander, Maddy, Julia and Miette were able to tour the seed vault, herbarium and grow houses of the Garden's Research Department. While Alexander thinks he could never work with the numerous small seed specimens in the seed vault, Julia is ready to apply for a position, any position! Teen Contact Jeff was amazed to learn that the Garden's conservation greenhouse can also be home to confiscated plants from the police department. I'm glad you enjoyed learning about this part of the Garden and their important work!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Papel Picado Powwows


TEENs have been getting crafty to provide Dia de los Muertos celebration decorations.

Hand crafted Papel Picado flags will hang from Dorrance Hall as the Garden celebrates this festival. TEENs have been using different methods as those traditionally used, but the results have been wonderful!

Thanks TEENs!!

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project


TEENs attending the MLMP Training on Sun, Sept 25th and were excited to find many monarch eggs and some larva!

Here is a link of the new monarch life-cycle video, which has updated migration maps and great info!


Join us for future shifts to gain experience in making observations and recording data in the field! Contact me to sign up for shifts or if you'd like to join the MLMP TEEN Team!

Friday, September 16, 2011

College Reporter on Big Bugs

TEENs, for great information about the Garden's newest exhibit, read this online article by former TEEN Volunteer Jessica B.

http://downtowndevil.com/2011/09/15/13108/desert-botanical-garden-big-bugs/

The author was a part of the TEEN program from 2006-2011 and is now attending ASU.

Wonderful article Jessica!!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

REMINDER

TEENs - your 2011-12 Volunteer/Parent Commitment forms are due on Saturday, September 17th. Please let me know if you need a copy of the form or an extension on the deadline.

I'm looking forward to anther wonderful year!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Monsoon Gardening

Thank you to all the TEENs who helped tend the Pumpkin Patch Garden!

Kaela, Katie, Miette, Julia, Raven, Marcus, Alexander S., Tom, Erica, Taylor, Maddy S., Izzy L., Kaija, Tyler, and Beto!

You did a wonderful job and the Garden is looking great! I went out to the patch this morning and there are squash seedlings, healthy corn, and tons of mung bean sprouts! The irrigation is working well too!

Enjoy the photos and thank you again!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Watermelon & Removing Compost Adventure


Last Saturday, TEENs Kaela, Julia, Kaija, Marcus, Katie, and Alexander removed years worth of failed compost from behind the classrooms and built their own, desert adapted composter.
TEENs also explored the pumpkin patch garden and picked a watermelon, only to find it already belonged in the new composter.

Each of these TEENs will be here this weekend, along with others to tend the pumpkin patch garden and get it ready for this fall's Great Pumpkin Festival.

Excellent work TEENs!


Thursday, July 21, 2011

Facebook Group

The Facebook page will be closing because we've started the Desert Botanical Garden TEEN Volunteers group.

Join us!


This is a "closed" group so only TEENs and TEEN parents will be accepted into the group. You're welcome to post comments, photos or videos relating to the TEEN Volunteer Program.

I look forward to hearing from you all!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Watermelon!


The pumpkin patch garden is growing!

Check out the photo including our first watermelon!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Pumpkin Patch Garden update


The summer crops are going strong! Here are some photos of your hard work growing!

Friday, June 10, 2011

Summer Seed Challenge - Update!

Hi TEENs,

How are your seeds doing?

TEEN Kaela wrote, "My pumpkin plants (Big Max) are doing fine. Both seeds sprouted in the same pot, and both are about 9 inches wide/ 5-6 inches tall. I transplanted them on Monday because they stopped growing for a while."

Great job Kaela!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Free Admission Days!

Join us at the Garden on the 2nd Tuesday of every month for free admission into the Garden after 1pm.

The next free day is June 14th, Flag Day!

TEEN Flashlight Tour Training


Thank you to all the TEENs that attended the Flashlight Tour Training! I hope you had as much fun as I did seeing you untangle yourselves from the knotted rope!

Don't forget to contact Pam for upcoming Flashlight Tour shifts!

Monday, May 9, 2011

May TEEN Meeting

Thank you to all the TEENs that attended the TEEN Meeting & Gardening shifts on Saturday. The gardeners transplanted squash, melons, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs at the Pumpkin Patch Garden. They also fortified the existing fencing with additional bird netting.

Ready, set, grow!

Summer Seed Challenge!

TEENs - enter this challenge and you could win a $40 gift card to the place of your choice.

The challenge is for TEENs to successfully germinate and grow pumpkin, squash, gourd or melon seeds. The young plants will be transplanted into the Pumpkin Patch or TEEN Garden later in the summer. So here's where part of the challenge comes in... TEENs must tend to their seed or plant twice a week, measuring the amount of water they use, the location the plant is kept, and its size. These recorded observations will be used to assist TEENs in determining the best gardening practices for future planting seasons.

To enter, contact Jeni for supplies including the entry and data sheet, seeds, soil, and a container.

Remember, Jeni will be available throughout the challenge to "plant sit," answer questions or clarify rules.

Good Luck!

Friday, May 6, 2011

National Public Gardens Day 2011!

Bust out your sun hats, water bottles and sneakers and visit the Garden!
Today is National Public Gardens Day and admission is free to the Garden
and the Spring Butterfly Exhibit.
If you can't join us today, there is free admission to the Garden
every second Tuesday of the month after 1pm.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Gardening this Saturday!

TEENs, join us on Saturday before the TEEN Meeting to tend the Pumpkin Patch Garden. The beds need additional bird netting, new transplants and seeds so there is plenty of work to be done! Contact Jeni to sign up.
It looks like a watermelon plant that Ernesto transplanted is doing well!


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Adopt-a-Park 2


Thank you to the TEENs that participated in the Second Adopt-a-Park clean-up! We found a lot of trash, pulled weeds and thinned out plants around a shade structure. Excellent work team! I also had fun exploring the algae and critters in the pond.

Pictured: Taylor, Alexander & Marcus

Monday, April 18, 2011

Audubon Arizona’s Teen Leaders in Conservation

TEENs, looking for information on a career in science? Visit Audubon Arizona's Teen Leaders in Conservation speaker series. This year's topics include fire science, hydrology, wildlife biology, wildlife veterinary practice, forestry management, solar energy and urban farming. For more information, visit their link. http://az.audubon.org/Education.html


Teen Garden Spring Update


The echinopsis is blooming, the sunflowers are taking off and the Learning Lab kids are still enjoying the strawberries!


Friday, April 15, 2011

TEEN Strawberries

TEENs - Learning Lab students were very excited to find a few strawberries in your transplants from the Pumpkin Patch Garden on Tuesday when they were taking time to water the plants.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

VIG Celebration!


Please RSVP to me by April 1st if you plan on attending the Volunteers in the Garden (VIG) Celebration for 2010. There will be a slide show, awards and dinner. The event is located in Dorrance Center from 3-6pm on Sunday, April 10.

If you have not already visited the Ottosen Gallery, be sure to stop by and view the photographs of John Schaefer now until May 27th.


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Spring Butterfly Pavilion Shifts

Don't forget that if you are trained in for the Spring Butterfly Pavilion, you can now sign-up for shifts online!


Follow this link and sign-in using your email address and volunteer number on the back of your volunteer badge.