Student-Led Campus Vitality & Wellness Initiative

Moderation state
funded
Grant Applicant
Bruna Bradford
Grant Co-applicants
Paula Bossler
School Site
Kings Beach Elementary
Grant Category
Life Skills & Health
Grant Date
2026-06-09T12:00:00
Description

This initiative is a three-pronged approach to enhancing the 5th-grade experience and overall school climate at Kings Beach Elementary School. It includes:

The Legacy Mural: A 5th grade student-led, artist-supported soccer mural located in a high-use playground area, fostering school pride and student voice.

The Living Lab: The installation of six durable garden boxes to support hands-on STEAM learning and outdoor education opportunities.

The Wellness Reset: The addition of a second Zenimal tool to expand our calming station, building on the success of a previously piloted device that has proven highly effective in supporting student self-regulation and emotional well-being.

Benefits of Program
  • Artistic Empowerment: Students gain "design thinking" skills by collaborating with a local professional to transform their physical environment.
  • Curriculum Integration: The garden boxes serve as a "Living Lab" for science standards (ecosystems, photosynthesis, and life cycles).
  • Mental Health Support: The Zenimal provides immediate, non-screen-based SEL support, reducing classroom disruptions and improving student focus.
  • Physical Activity: The soccer-themed mural defines and validates a high-energy play zone, encouraging inclusive physical play.
Success of Program
  • Quantitative Goal: Achieve a 15% reduction in "soccer zone" behavioral incidents during the 2026-2027 school year compared to the 2025-2026 baseline.
  • Academic Goal: 100% of students will participate in at least one garden-based science lesson and all 5th graders will also participate in the mural-design workshop, meeting Common Core Math (Measurement/Data) and NGSS Science (Matter and Energy in Organisms) standards.
  • SEL Goal: A decrease in the "time-to-reset" for students using the calming station, as tracked by staff using the Zenimal tool.
Implementation
  • August – October 2026 (The Mural & Wellness Phase):
    • Mural: We will complete the mural in October while the weather is dry and temperatures are above 50°F (required for paint adhesion).
    • Wellness: The Zenimal is introduced to the calming station at the start of the school year to support students during recess when they need to reset or during classroom times when in need.
  • November 2026 – January 2027 (Planning & Design):
    • Students use the "snow months" to research native Tahoe plants and hardy vegetables. They will use Common Core Math to calculate the volume of soil needed for our six boxes.
  • February – March 2027 (Engineering & Seed Starting):
    • Garden Assembly: Students will assemble the six garden boxes (ideally in the school's multipurpose room or a cleared garage/shed space).
    • Indoor Starts: Students will start "cool-weather" seeds (like kale, spinach, and peas) in classroom windowsills, observing the early stages of the life cycle.
  • April – May 2027 (Soil & Hardening Off):
    • As the snow melts, boxes are moved to their permanent outdoor location. Students fill them with soil and begin "hardening off" their indoor seedlings by bringing them outside during school hours.
  • June 2027 (The Planting & Science Lab):
    • Transplanting into the garden boxes. This aligns perfectly with the end-of-year 5th Grade Science (NGSS) units on ecosystems and matter cycles.
Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?

Yes. This grant is designed to be shared across the entire school and the Science Department. By involving the science teacher and grade-level colleagues, we ensure the materials are used across multiple classrooms, maximizing the "per student" impact required by EEF guidelines.

Sustainability
Mural: Once completed and sealed, the mural is a permanent fixture with no recurring costs.

Garden: The Science Teacher and student "Green Team" will manage the annual planting cycles. We will seek local donations (e.g., from Villager Nursery or Mountain Hardware) for seasonal seeds and soil.

Zenimal: This is a durable hardware item with a multi-year lifespan.
Amount Funded
$834.00
Individual Budget Items(s)
$1200 - Mural Materials
$834 - Cedar Garden Boxes
$99 - Zenimal Kids (Expansion/Replacement)
Shipping
$0.00
Taxes
$67.64
Other funding sources

We have consulted with the PTO/PTA for potential "matching funds" for seeds and soil. We are also exploring the TTUSD Science Department budget for supplemental curriculum materials to use in the garden.

File Uploads
5th grade mural 3.jpg (5.83 MB)
5th grade mural 2025.jpg (7.4 MB)
Future mural.jpg (2.46 MB)
zanimal calming station.pdf (4.62 MB)
Supporting Links
Zenimal
garden boxes