On Friday, October 23, the Greenspring Montessori School community gathered to celebrate an exciting milestone: the official opening of our new Wild Play Rain Gardens! Students, families, staff, and community partners came together to mark the culmination of years of planning and the beginning of a new chapter in environmental education and stewardship on our campus.
Made possible through a $63,224 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Healthy Environment, Healthy Communities program, this project represents an important step forward in our long-term Outdoor Campus Plan and our commitment to inspiring an allegiance to nature.
Head of School, Tamara Sheesley Balis, welcomed guests and reflected on Greenspring’s commitment to outdoor education and environmental stewardship. The new gardens are an extension of learning spaces, creating opportunities for children to develop a deeper understanding of the natural world through firsthand experiences, observation, and meaningful care of their environment.
Megan Andreasen of the Chesapeake Bay Trust shared an overview of the Healthy Environment, Healthy Communities Grant program, which distributed $865,000 to 13 projects throughout the Jones Falls watershed. Greenspring’s Gardens are part of this larger investment in healthier waterways, stronger communities, and sustainable landscapes across our region.
Alice Volpitta of Blue Water Baltimore spoke about the partnership that helped bring this funding opportunity to Greenspring and the important role of community stewardship in protecting our local waterways. Her remarks highlighted how individuals’ actions can collectively make a meaningful difference in the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
We were also honored to welcome Maryland State Senator Shelly Hettleman, who presented a special citation recognizing Greenspring Montessori School’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the completion of this important project.
Children and families had opportunities to explore natural materials, trace the journey of water from Greenspring to the Chesapeake Bay on a watershed map, and browse nature books from our school library. Families also took home packets of native seeds, extending the celebration’s message of environmental stewardship into their own gardens and communities.
One of the central messages of the celebration was that everyone has a role to play in caring for our environment. Whether planting native species, reducing runoff, protecting wildlife habitats, or simply understanding where our water goes, small actions can have an impact far beyond our own backyards.
This is a lesson we hope our students will carry with them long after they leave Greenspring. By developing meaningful relationships with the natural world from an early age, children begin to understand not only how ecosystems function, but also their own ability to protect and care for them.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Chesapeake Bay Trust, Blue Water Baltimore, Senator Shelly Hettleman, our project partner, Great Blue Co., and the students, families, and staff who helped make this vision a reality.
The celebration culminated in the official ribbon cutting, welcoming students and families into the new Rain Gardens. We look forward to watching these gardens grow, change, and flourish alongside our students for years to come.
