Wylde Center Inc

FOUNDED IN 1997, WYLDE CENTER, FORMERLY THE OAKHURST COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT, IS A NON-PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ORGANIZATION. IT FEATURES 7 ACRES OF COMMUNITY GREENSPACE. WYLDE CENTERS MAIN OFFICE IS LOCATED IN DECATUR, GEORGIA SERVING RESIDENTS IN BOTH DECATUR AND ATLANTA. WYLDE CENTER MANAGES TWO GARDENS IN DECATUR AND THREE GARDENS IN ATLANTA. ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE IN METRO ATLANTA. WYLDE CENTER RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGING WITH THE NATURAL WORLD FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS ALIKE AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOING SO THROUGH OUR ON-SITE AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMING, MEMBERSHIP, IMAGINATIVE GARDEN FEATURES AND VARIETY OF NATIVE HABITATS. WYLDE CENTER ACTIVELY ENGAGES YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY THROUGH ORGANIZED PROGRAMS, CLASSES, AND EVENTS THAT DEVELOP CREATIVE SKILLS IN SUSTAINABLE URBAN LIVING, ORGANIC GARDENING, HEALTH AND NUTRITION.

FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, THE WYLDE CENTER OPERATED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: (I)YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM:DURING THE 2021/2022 SCHOOL YEAR, WYLDE CENTER YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS SAW THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: FARM TO SCHOOL: WYLDE CENTERS FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS STARTED BACK IN PERSON IN AUGUST 2021 WITH WYLDE CENTER EDUCATORS INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS AND DELIVERING PROGRAMS IN BOTH THE ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS (APS) AND THE CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR (CSD). -IN APS, FOODCORPS SERVICE MEMBERS DELIVERED PROGRAMS TO TOOMER, BENTEEN, PEYTON FOREST, AND PARKSIDE ELEMENTARIES. THIS WAS WYLDE CENTERS 5TH YEAR WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL FOODCORPS PROGRAM. DURING THIS PROGRAM, 6300 STUDENT INTERACTIONS WERE RECORDED OVER 118 INSTRUCTION DAYS. THE SCHOOLS RECEIVING THESE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE 90+% FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH AND/OR RECEIVING SOCIAL SERVICES-IN CSD, WYLDE CENTER EDUCATORS DELIVERED PROGRAMMING TO OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. REGULAR CHECK-IN MEETINGS WERE HELD WITH SEVERAL PARTNER SCHOOLS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, AND THE EDUCATORS DELIVERED MONTHLY IN-SCHOOL LESSONS TO PRE-K STUDENTS AT FRASIER CENTER AND CONSISTENT PROGRAMMING FOR GRADES 3-5 AT FIFTH AVENUE UPPER ELEMENTARY, AND LOWER ELEMENTARY GRADE LEVELS AT WESTCHESTER AND OAKHURST ELEMENTARIES. DURING THIS PROGRAM, 2100 STUDENT INTERACTIONS WERE RECORDED OVER 30 INSTRUCTION DAYS.AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WYLDE CENTERS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN LIVING AT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITIES OF AMANI PLACE (EDGEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD IN ATLANTA) AND DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY (DHA) SAW CHILDREN FOUR TIMES A WEEK FOR GARDENING, CRAFTS, NUTRITION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AND FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE TASTE-TESTING. DURING THIS PROGRAM, 647 STUDENT INTERACTIONS WERE RECORDED OVER 82 INSTRUCTION DAYS.FIELD TRIPS - IN THE 2021/2022 SCHOOL YEAR, 1500 STUDENTS VISITED WYLDE CENTER GREENSPACES OVER 33 INSTRUCTION DAYS. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH AN AGREEMENT WITH LEGACY DECATUR AND THE CITY OF DECATUR, WYLDE CENTER OFFERED FIELD TRIPS AT CITY-OWNED LEGACY PARK, WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE WOODS AND POND ALLOWED FOR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND A NEW CURRICULUM. WYLDE CENTERS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PROGRAM FOR DHA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ALSO CONTINUED TWICE A MONTH AT LEGACY PARK. EVERY STUDENT AT FIFTH AVENUE ELEMENTARY AND TALLEY STREET UPPER ELEMENTARY IN CITY SCHOOLS OF DECATUR VISITED A WYLDE CENTER GREENSPACE FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIP. DURING A WYLDE CENTER FIELD TRIP, STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH LESSONS THAT FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE TO ZOOLOGY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. CLASSES ARE LED BY HIGHLY TRAINED AND ENTHUSIASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS. AS STUDENTS ENCOUNTER WYLDE CENTERS GREENSPACES WHICH FEATURE GARDENS, STREAMS, AND WOODLANDS, THEY LEARN TO THINK CRITICALLY, CREATIVELY, AND RESPONSIBLY ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM. (II)IMPACT OF WYLDE CENTER YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS:BY CREATING INTERACTIONS WITH THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGH EDUCATION, EXPLORATION, FOOD, AND PLAY, WYLDE CENTER (WC) PROGRAMS MADE THE FOLLOWING LASTING IMPACTS: INCREASED EXPOSURE TO FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES; INCREASED NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE AND IMPROVED FOOD CHOICE; IMPROVED RETENTION OF COMMON CORE SUBJECTS FOR K-8 WITH A FOCUS ON SCIENCE; AN OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING; CHILDREN SPENDING MORE TIME OUTDOORS; AND INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BY IMPROVING UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL SYSTEMS AND OF HUMAN IMPACT ON THE NATURAL WORLD. WYLDE CENTER REMAINED COMMITTED TO OUR UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE LIMITED ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE GROWING AND HARVESTING THEIR OWN FOOD, AND/OR TO ENJOY AND EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS WITHIN A CITY ENVIRONMENT. IN 2021/2022, WC PROGRAMS PROVIDED POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN IN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND/OR FOOD DESERTS TO GAIN EXPERIENCES GROWING, PREPARING, AND CONSUMING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND LEARNING THE SCIENCE BEHIND THIS KNOWLEDGE. THESE ACTIVITIES LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUSTAINED HEALTHY EATING HABITS AND IMPROVED LIFELONG HEALTH. WC PROGRAMS ARE FUN, FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS THAT ARE DRIVEN BY THE INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS, RESULTING IN ENGAGING PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW US TO REGULARLY SEE THE SAME STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, DEEPENING THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAM AND PROVIDING MORE LASTING RESULTS OVER TIME. (III)COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EVENTS:WYLDE CENTERS OUTREACH AND EVENTS SERVE THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH ITS GREENSPACES ARE LOCATED. WYLDE CENTER HOSTS SEVERAL PUBLIC EVENTS PER YEAR INCLUDING THE SEED AND SCION EXCHANGE, PLANT SALE FESTIVAL, AND BEER GARDEN & SILENT AUCTION TO NAME A FEW. IN ADDITION, WYLDE CENTER OFFERS GARDENING CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL AS NATURE PROGRAMMING FOR FAMILIES. (IV)WYLDE CENTERS GREENSPACES: WYLDE CENTER ACTIVELY PRESERVES 7 ACRES OF GREENSPACE IN METRO ATLANTA ACROSS 5 DIFFERENT GARDENS. WYLDE CENTER ACTIVELY USES ITS GREENSPACES TO SUPPORT ITS SCHOOL PROGRAMS THROUGH HANDS-ON FIELD TRIPS SERVING MORE THAN 3,000 STUDENTS PER YEAR FROM SCHOOLS IN THE METRO-ATLANTA REGION. THE GREENSPACES ARE ALSO VITAL TO ITS COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE GARDEN CLASSES, NATURE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, AND FUNDRAISERS. IN ADDITION, THE GREENSPACES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR PERSONAL USE DAILY. MORE THAN 6,000 PEOPLE VISIT WYLDE CENTERS FIVE SITES PER YEAR.MULBERRY FIELDS GARDEN: IN JULY 2016, WYLDE CENTER STARTED MANAGING MULBERRY FIELDS GARDEN (MFG). MFG WAS STARTED IN 1998. IN 2016, THE OWNERS CONTRACTED WITH WYLDE CENTER TO MAINTAIN THE SPACE, MANAGE THE PLOT HOLDERS, AND HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS ON THE SITE. MFG IS A COMMUNITY GARDEN COMPLETE WITH VEGETABLE PLOTS, CHICKENS, AND GOATS. EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY LEARNING GARDEN: WYLDE CENTER STARTED MANAGING THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY LEARNING GARDEN IN AUGUST 2012. THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY LEARNING GARDEN (ECLG) IS LOCATED IN ATLANTA AND IS ENJOYED BOTH BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE LOCAL SCHOOLS. LOCATED IN THE EDGEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, THE ECLG'S LAND IS OWNED BY THE ZEIST FOUNDATION BUT MANAGED BY WYLDE CENTER. NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH GARDEN, EAT WHAT THEY GROW AND LEARN ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AT THE ECLG. DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, 1,000 STUDENTS VISIT THE EDGEWOOD GARDEN FOR EDUCATOR-LED FIELD TRIPS AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS.HAWK HOLLOW GARDEN: DONATED TO WYLDE CENTER, INC. IN 2012, HAWK HOLLOW GARDEN IS LOCATED IN THE KIRKWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD IN ATLANTA. THE SITE IS DIFFERENT FROM WYLDE CENTERS OTHER GARDENS IN THAT IT IS SHADED WITH A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON RESTORING THE LANDSCAPE WITH NATIVE PLANTS. THE SITE IS USED FOR FIELD TRIPS BY WYLDE CENTER EDUCATION STAFF. SUGAR CREEK GARDEN: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR, WYLDE CENTER HAS MANAGED THIS PARCEL OF LAND SINCE 2010. THE SITE IS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND IS CURRENTLY BEING USED TO GROW PRODUCE, HERBS, AND NATIVE PLANTS. OAKHURST GARDEN: STARTED IN 1997, THE OAKHURST GARDEN IS THE FLAGSHIP GARDEN FOR WYLDE CENTER. THE SITE HOSTS WYLDE CENTERS OFFICES, COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS, AN EDUCATIONAL FARM, A GREENHOUSE, AN EVENT RENTAL SPACE, A CHILDRENS PLAY AREA, A CHICKEN COOP, AND A NATIVE WOODLAND GARDEN. CAMPS, FIELD TRIPS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE HELD AT THIS LOCATION.