Living Classrooms’ BUGS (Baltimore Urban Gardening with Students) after-school program hosts its 21st annual Farmers’ Market to celebrate the hard work of our students and showcase their handcrafted goods. Come support our students at this entirely kid-run event and get some plants for your summer crops! Proceeds support the continued programming of BUGS and its mission to empower and inspire our students to develop academically, creatively, and socially. Bring the whole family to this fun event!

Event features:
o Student made crafts: earrings, headbands, ponchos, soaps, and more
o Student potted plants: herbs, vegetables, flowers
o Student made gourmet foods: salsas, jellies/jams, and ice cream
o Face painting
o DJ and live student song and dance performances
o Grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and fixings cooked on site by our talented students

About the BUGS program:

The Baltimore Urban Gardening with Students (BUGS) Program works with children from under-served Baltimore City communities throughout the year with an after-school program as well as a summer program. The program serves students from Commodore John Rodgers Elementary and Middle School in East Baltimore. Many of our students reside in public housing and low-income neighborhoods near the Baltimore City Detention Center. These students have little access to green space and few extra-curricular activities available to them. The program engages youth in learning while providing them with a safe and healthy alternative to the streets.

BUGS is a national model program that uses activities such as cooking, gardening, creative arts and movement, and entrepreneurial projects to help increase academic performance in reading and math and improve student behavior. The program provides a dynamic learning environment at Living Classrooms East Harbor campus, with access to vegetable and flower gardens planted by the students, and the only wetlands on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Our 1:10 instructor/student ratio provides youth with the close attention they need to succeed socially and academically.

If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please contact Rebekah Lin Meyer at rmeyer@livingclassrooms.org.

If you are interested in sponsor and vendor opportunities please contact Algernon Campbell at acampbell@livingclassrooms.org.