Katie Shamis: Park Ridge's School Garden Goddess

We recently asked Katie about her work in Park Ridge. Here's what she said:

Through VK Gardens, Katie Shamis works to make gardens a common thread that connects the whole community across public spaces and private homes. As the sustainability and garden consultant for School District 64, She helps shape D64 and emerging D207 school gardens into joyful, hands-on classrooms from kindergarten through high school, where kids learn to grow food, understand the ecosystem under their feet, and see themselves as caretakers of their community.

​All produce grown in D64 raised beds is organic and donated to the Maine Township Food Pantry, which recently saw demand jump from about 120 families to over 400 in a single month; in just three months of growing, students harvested and shared 786 pounds of organic produce, turning their learning into real support for their neighbors - and D64 is their only supplier of organic produce!
Outside the schoolyard fences, Katie helps deepen those connections through community events like the native seed exchange with Green Drinks Park Ridge and the upcoming vegetable and flower seed exchange at the Park Ridge Public Library on March 3, as well as by designing edible and native gardens with residents at their homes. 

Together, Katie and her numerous community partners are not only transforming what Park Ridge looks like, but also how it feels: a place where caring for the earth, growing food, and looking out for one another are shared, everyday practices.