Testimonials for Eliya's Garden and Nature-Based Education Programmes
“Eliya was a wonderful addition to our school community. She brought a wealth of knowledge regarding school gardening and developed the foundation for the curriculum we still use today. "
— Kathy, School Principal
"...with a perpetual smile on her face, our wonderful gardening teacher Eliya taught our children everyday about the world of plants & soil, and the living creatures within all while explaining our human connection to it all!
She was engaging, patient, creative and a total kid magnet! I so loved our time with Eliya running our progressive. community oriented school garden."
— Krisha, Parent Volunteer
"Eliya is a fantastic teacher who creates engaging, interesting and exciting lessons. She is great with kids of all ages and her passion for learning, nature and the environment will captivate any child's interest and imagination! Happy gardening!"
— Ciara, 3rd Class Teacher
“While Eliya was working at an elementary school in Los Angeles, California, she envisioned and created a gardening program that would serve all students. This program was an immediate success. Students of all ages had the opportunity to learn about planting and harvesting their own foods; they began to recognize the possibilities of farming even in a large city! The best parts of the program Eliya built were that it was evident that students enjoyed the hands-on learning they did in the garden and the way students engaged in the class because of Eliya's enthusiasm and encouragement for their success."
— Robin, 5th Class Teacher
“My kids would tell you 'Ms. Eliya is the best teacher ever!' With fun and passion, she taught them the art and science of gardening when they were kindergartners to 4th graders. Now pre-teens, they still tell their friends how good it feels to have muddy hands, to plant the seeds and care for the plants that will feed you later on, and how fun and easy it is to make organic garden-made lip balm. As a parent volunteer helping her with some projects, I was amazed by her level of commitment to build a strong generation of global citizens, her passion and professionalism. Eliya has been a sunshine in our life!"
— Magali, Parent Volunteer
"Eliya led a gardening project, working with my residents at an Affordable Housing Center. She was extremely patient and took effort to learn about the residents' interests, which she quickly took into consideration and incorporaed into the gardening lesson plans. Eliya made the classes so easy for beginners so that everyone understands the 101 of gardening. She also introduced some tea recipes that they can make out of the garden plants, and everyone loved it. Eliya made the classes so attractive so we had great success doing the gardening project."
— Jodi, Social Services Provider for Affordable Housing Apartment