Northern Valley Education Association
Bergen County educator Catherine Troia-Slutzky with Brianna Gehen, Mark Lampert and Leeann St. Laurent from Northern Valley Regional High School District were awarded a $3,500 grant entitled Growing Together. It is an inclusive gardening project that brings together students on the autism spectrum and neurotypical peers in grades 9-12. Serving 35-40 students, the program creates a shared, hands-on learning environment where participants collaboratively design, plant, and maintain a New Jersey native pollinator and vegetable garden. Through gardening, students build vocational, social, and life skills while fostering empathy, inclusion, and peer relationships. The project emphasizes environmental stewardship, teamwork, and responsibility, promoting emotional regulation and community connection. The garden will be sustained through curriculum integration, student leadership, and community partnerships.
For more information, contact:
Catherine Troia-Slutzky
Northern Valley Central
(201) 767-7224