Laura McBride – Junior Green Thumbs
Ajax, ON – Junior Green Thumbs (formerly Edible Classroom) is a year-round, indoor gardening project for elementary and high school classrooms created by Sutton’s very own, Laura McBride. Laura has been a REALTOR® with Sutton Group – Heritage Realty Inc. since 2005 and has utilized her background in horticulture to launch her project for elementary students.
With this project, students learn how to grow food, build wooden planters, install simple irrigation systems, create art from natural elements (like beet juice!), and prepare meals from their harvest. Laura hopes students will also experience positive effects like reduced stress, a connection to nature, and an increased sense of empowerment and self-confidence from working on the garden project.
When Laura launched this project in 2015, she got her hands dirty working alongside teachers and students as they explored botany, permaculture, carpentry, irrigation, and cooking, all while applying math, art, health, and science concepts. The project has since evolved from Laura leading the students to providing everything needed to support the teachers.
“I provide tools, resources, and support to teachers who can run the program in a way best suited for their student dynamic and lesson plans,” Laura notes. “I have had only positive feedback! Teachers, students, parents, school administrators, and community members have all rallied around the project with support, enthusiasm, and love”.
Before Laura began her real estate career 19 years ago, she studied Horticulture and Landscape Technology at Humber College and Interior Design at Sheridan College. That specialized training, as well as her experiences with her children, inspired the Junior Green Thumbs project.
Laura recognized that her sons benefited greatly from alternative, hands-on learning, but discovered limited opportunities in the school curriculum for such experiences. “I came up with a plan and approached a truly inspired educator named Robyn Hadder McMillain with DDSB, who helped me create the first program applying my ideas in the subjects of Art, Health, and Math”.
Laura now combines her passion for education and horticulture with marketing, where she gifts a teacher a fully equipped indoor garden for their classroom with every real estate sale she makes.
At Sutton Group, we are incredibly inspired by our realtors for their continued commitment to positively impacting their community. Their selfless efforts reflect the spirit of the organization and continually make us proud.
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Sutton Group Realty Services Ltd.:
Hana Park
hana@sutton.com
Sutton Group Heritage Realty Inc.:
Laura McBride
lmcbride@sutton.com