Welcome to Grady’s Classroom!
Grady’s Classroom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, mission-driven organization dedicated to advancing or introducing healthy eating, gardening, and active, mindful living to children and families through elementary school and after-school community programs.
Our educational content is backed with age-appropriate, purposeful, and targeted curricular materials (e.g., social emotional learning, nutrition and health, and gardening), and experiential learning extensions, such as recipe testing, games, and tastings!
Grady’s Classroom’s garden initiative provides outdoor community garden starter kits to participating schools, community centers, churches, or other entities, giving children a truly hands-on learning experience.
Growing Healthier Communities
Healthier Kids, Healthier Families, Healthier Communities, Healthier Societies.
That's the foundation of Grady’s Classroom—we like to dream BIG!—and we have confidence we can achieve these impacts. Our strategy includes strong partners and partnerships, with organizations that serve children, particularly those in greatest needs and at greatest risk, and facilitates content and implementation in a way that is feasible and effective.
Since 2023, Grady’s Classroom’s evidence-based curriculum has reached more than 3,000 K-6 students at schools and after-school programs in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Idaho. We intend to help kids plant seeds in every state!
Edutainment
Our original animated show, Grady’s Garden, was created and executive produced by Disney TV animation writer Evan Gore. This funny, relatable educational entertainment features six kids who decide to create a garden to grow vegetables for their community and families, igniting their overall interest in health.
These animated episodes are designed for elementary aged children, and use a cast of endearing characters whose stories lay the groundwork for our proprietary educational curriculum.
Each Grady’s Classroom curriculum module features a unique Grady’s Garden episode, then a series of session components that support the learning targets in bite-size chunks that are fun for kids and easy for staff or teachers to implement.
Grady’s Classroom currently offers ten curriculum modules exclusively through the Grady’s Garden app. allowing us to reach more classrooms in hard-to-reach areas.
Demonstrating Impact
We have reached over 3,000 kids at schools and Boys & Girls Clubs so far, with great expansion planned through 2025. We have observed significant increases in children's ability to identify vegetable features, as well as their willingness to try new vegetables, which are positive indicators for future healthy eating behaviors. Additional and in depth impact evaluation reports are forthcoming, including measures of self-esteem and fruit and vegetable intake among children.
K-6 School Partners
K-6 School Partners that have participated in the Grady's Classroom Educational Program:
Sibley Elementary School, Grand Rapids, MI
Stocking Elementary School, Grand Rapids, MI
Coit Elementary School, Grand Rapids, MI
Boys & Girls Club Program Partners
Paul I. Phillips Club, Grand Rapids, MI
Seidman Club, Grand Rapids, MI
Steil, Club, Grand Rapids, MI
Kent School Services Network, Grand Rapids, MI