National Group of the Month

Each month the National Junior Master Gardener Program Office will select one local JMG group/class for exemplifying the JMG Program mission of: Growing Good Kids by Igniting a Passion for Learning, Success & Service.

TEACHERS/LEADERS: Nominate your class/group of JMG students to be recognized as a 2025-2026 JMG National Group of the MONTH by submitting the nomination form below. Nomination criteria are listed in green on this page.

SEPTEMBER 2025

Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy
Champlin, Minnesota

Grades/Number of students in JMG Group:
250 students, grades k-5

Group Leaders: Master Gardener Volunteers, Teachers and Casey Wiedenman (Campus Curriculum Integrator & JMG Leader submitting nomination)

JMG Curriculum Utilized: JMG Youth Handbook as a part of monthly lessons with 4th and 5th grades.

Gardens include: Vegetables, herbs, fruit, as well as flowering & other beautiful plants

Memorable or favorite experiences: CBPA is a specialty school in the Anoka-Hennepin Public School District. Our program focus is on Mathematics and Environmental Science. With that focus at the forefront we’ve teamed with JMG for years and feature monthly lessons with each 4th and 5th grade class. These lessons are run by Master Gardeners from the University of Minnesota Extension program while being supported by classroom teachers and the curriculum integrator.

 

In addition to these lessons, each grade level (K-4) has multiple raised bed gardens that are planted, maintained, and harvested with a specific focus. These included: Kindergarten, fruits & vegetables from the story Tops & Bottoms – 1st, Sunflowers – 2nd, Pollinators – 3rd, Fruits & Vegetables from the various versions of the story Stone Soup –4th, Salsa Garden – 5th Grade students assist all garden planting, harvesting and prepare hanging baskets for a school fundraiser to support our program.

Service Learning: During the December lesson for 4th graders, students created bookmarks for a senior living center in our area. The bookmarks feature dried and pressed flowers that the students collected in the fall. They also feature a mix of favorite gardening quotes. Students also create pomanders to take home and give as gifts during the holiday season.

The culminating lesson for our 5th graders is on assembling hanging baskets and patio pots as a part of our end-of-year fundraiser. The students assemble these items using donated plant plugs from local nurseries.  Student raise these plugs into healthy plants and create baskets using design elements they’ve learned during their time in the JMG program. Many of these baskets and pots are purchased by proud families eager to display their student’s work.

 How the garden program benefits our kids: Our students work hard throughout their time at CBPA, but not every student loves their time in the classroom. Getting a chance to work outside in the gardens or in our school greenhouse is something many students jump at. When I enter a classroom hands raise to volunteer without even knowing what is needed!

I love seeing our students getting their hands dirty in the gardens and enjoying their time outside in nature. I’m thrilled seeing our graduating 5th graders showcasing their knowledge and being good role models helping younger students planting and caring for our grounds. Our students leave our program with gardening knowledge and confidence. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished at CBPA through the years and hope we can continue a successful JMG program.

To learn more about this campus and amazing group of JMG kids, visit https://www.facebook.com/CBPAMES

Who will
the next
National
JMG GROUP
OF THE
MONTH be?