P.S. 172 celebrates Green Apple Day of Service

P.S. 172, located on Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, celebrated the annual Green Apple Day of Service on Saturday, September 28.

The school also received a $2,500 garden grant from the Citizens Committee for New York City to install eight to ten modular sub-irrigated containers that will grow a mixture of plants, focusing on native plants from the state and the Northeast.

The grant will be used to purchase materials including rubber containers, soil, recycled lumber, basic garden maintenance tools and plants.

PTA President Catherine Bogin, said, “The garden will impact our students’ relationship to the environment by raising awareness about environmental issues such as recycling, pollution, and the importance of taking care of our urban green spaces, in a densely populated area with many commercial properties, where almost no attention or value has been given to green space.”

“The garden program will educate students about native plants, enhancing both the science curriculum and general education in the classrooms,” she went on. “With a focus on re-purposing and recycling materials, the introduction of the garden and its ongoing maintenance and stewardship will offer a counter-example to the plague of litter so prevalent in Sunset Park.”

Peter H. Kostmayer, CEO of CCNYC, said, “There have been recent education cutbacks for public schools, but school gardens are increasing in number each year thanks to the hard work and fundraising efforts of PTAs and students across the city.”