HSA Samull Grants - herb gardens for classrooms

2024 Samull Grant Summary

The Herb Society of America annually awards 15 grants to schools for planting an herb garden. Established more than a decade ago from the generous gift of Don Samull, an elementary school teacher, the grant awards $300 for the purchase of supplies such as soil, plants, and gardening tools. 

Here are some highlights from the 2024 recipients. Oak Grove Elementary School PTA from Durham, North Carolina used the funds from the Samull grant to purchase herb plants which were added to the garden by the kindergarten, first and second grade students. They also purchased seeds and supplies for the special education preschool class to grow herbs inside. The teachers especially liked the sensory experience the herbs offered to students. They concluded their report with “We can’t thank you enough for this investment into our school. It was such a boon to our PTA and staff morale to receive this grant, and it is going to pay off for us in a big way this growing season and in the futures of our students.” 

Commodore Sloat Elementary School, San Francisco, California collaborated with the native Ohlone peoples by seeking their input with choosing native plants for their garden. The fourth-grade class planted the herbs and the garden was used for social studies lessons about Native Americans. They enjoyed tea made from the herb leaves. Plans for expanding the garden to include other grade levels with lessons about observing and recording growth, sensory experiences, harvesting the leaves, and the Ohlone’s use of the native herbs. 

The teacher stated “Thank you so much for the grant! You are really helping make a difference with our elementary school students.”

The benefits of the Samull Grant extend beyond learning garden skills and how to grow and care for herbs. Reports from grant recipients described increased community involvement which strengthened connections and teamwork among faculty, staff, students and their families. The gardens helped increased the students’ connection to the schools and to their ethnic heritage and introduced them and taught them about herbs and how the plants can enhance lives through culinary uses and for health purposes. Participation in the planning and planting of the herb gardens helped strengthen math and creative thinking skills. 

This year, grants were awarded to the following schools: 
Constellation Charter School, Waldo, FL 
Haiku Elementary School, Haiku, HI 
The Innovation School, Bismarck, ND 
Albany Community School, Albany, VT 
Strides of Strength Therapeutic Services, Chester, SC 
Clara Barton Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA 
Brownsburg Education Foundation, Brownsburg, IN 
Bay Farm Montessori Academy, Duxbury, MA 
Fairmont Elementary, El Cerrito, CA 
W.H. Robinson Elementary, Winterville, NC 
Edible Schoolyard NYC, New York City, NY 
Oceti Sakowin Community Academy, Rapid City, SD 
Cadillac Area Public Schools, Cadillac, MI 
Playa Del Rey Elementary, Culver City, CA 
Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School, Sacramento, CA 

Thank you to this year’s committee members who volunteered their time and skills to review and evaluate the applications with so many worthy herb gardening projects:  Rena Barnett, Karen Cottingham, JoAnne Montowski, Melody Orban, Alexandra Reisner, and Andrea Sparano.  

Cathy Manus-Gray, Committee Chair