$2,500 Winners
Allendale Fairfax Middle School, Allendale County
“Cultivating Sustainability Through School Gardening”
Students will design and plant raised garden beds with native plants to create a pollinator habitat. They will practice sustainable gardening techniques including composting and rainwater harvesting. Project partners include Master Gardeners, Allendale County Stormwater Department, and the local 4-H Club. A local native plant nursery will donate plants and help install a wildflower bed, and a local beekeepers’ association will teach the students about the role of bees in pollination and food production.
Blue Ridge High School, Greenville County
“Sustainable Courtyards”
High school students will plan the courtyard garden by mapping different layouts, choosing native plants, and identifying maintenance needs. During installation, students will also prepare reclaimed materials such as lumber, bricks, and metal for use as benches, planters, and decoration. Future Farmers of America, Clemson Extension, and Blue Oak Horticulture will partner on the project and provide expert guidance on native plants and sustainable landscaping.
Conway Elementary School, Horry County
“CES Pollinator Oasis”
Conway Elementary School’s Go Green Club will retrofit a dry stormwater pond to create a native pollinator garden. Students will help design the garden and select plants based on the specific pollinators they want to attract. As they plant and maintain the garden, they will learn about soil health, water quality testing, and pollinator ecology. Project partners include Coastal Carolina University’s Environmental Quality Collaborative, Clemson University, Clemson Extension, and South Carolina Native Plant Society.
Diamond Hill Elementary School, Abbeville County
“Garden Restoration and Expansion”
This project will build upon existing vegetable and herb gardens by adding native and non-native gardens to compare ecological differences between the two. A dedicated butterfly habitat will also be installed. A detailed maintenance schedule for watering and weeding will keep students involved throughout the year and ensure the long-term health of the gardens. This Green Step School will partner with Clemson Extension and South Carolina Governor’s School for Agriculture for guidance about sustainable gardening.
James H. Hendrix Elementary School, Spartanburg County
“HES Community Garden”
Students will add drip irrigation to existing raised beds and use compost to enrich the soil. They will also share stories about how gardens can help connect cultures through newsletters, garden labels, community outreach events, and art displays. Community families and Master Gardeners will be partners on the project.
Leaphart Elementary School, Lexington County
“Seed to Fitness”
Students at this Green Step School will compare production of vegetables grown in both soil and hydroponic gardening systems. They will also study insects, food webs, soil health, erosion prevention, and weather data, and showcase their harvest in a student-led farmers' market. In addition to Green Steps mentors, Clemson Extension, Future Farmers of America, and Master Gardeners will provide guidance on this project.
Lowcountry Montessori School, Beaufort County
“Monarchs and Milkweeds”
After noticing many Monarch butterflies with a protozoan parasite known as Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), the school’s Garden and Ecology Lead resolved to guide students in replacing tropical Milkweed in the school garden with native Milkweed species. In addition to planting and maintaining the garden, students will tag monarchs and study butterflies with OE using a microscope. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation donated milkweed seeds and the Whole Kids foundation Garden Grant provided funding for a greenhouse. This Green Step School will also partner with The Beaufort Conservation District, Camellia Garden Club Beaufort County Public Works, the Beaufort Garden Society, and a local gardener.
Mullins High School, Marion County
“Solar Learning Lab”
Students in Biology 1, Integrated Science, Chemistry, and STEM-focused courses will learn about sustainable energy by measuring how much sunlight the school gets daily, studying how solar panels work, and analyzing real-time data generated from solar panels installed on the outdoor learning lab. They will also help monitor and maintain the solar panels. Clemson Extension and Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District will provide technical support and educate students about the environmental benefits of solar power.
Tall Pines STEM Academy, Aiken County
“Creek Connections”
Middle school students at this Green Step School will establish an Adopt-a-Stream club to monitor water quality of a creek adjacent to the school campus. Physical, chemical, and biological data will be recorded and uploaded to the statewide database used by the SC Adopt-a-Stream program. Students will also learn to identify the invertebrates and plant life that indicate healthy water quality, as well as environmental impacts resulting from human activities. In addition to the SC Adopt-a-Stream program, the Clemson University Learning Institute will also be a partner on the project.
Virtus Academy of South Carolina, Florence County
“Ethnobotanical Garden”
Students involved in this project will grow native plants, including those with cultural significance, using sustainable and organic gardening methods. They will learn about the plants’ cultural uses in food and medicine, as well as their ecological importance to pollinators. Clemson Extension, Master Naturalists, the South Carolina Native Plant Society, and Florence County Stormwater staff will provide guidance on native plant selection and sustainable gardening techniques.
$1,500 Winners
Pickens Elementary School, Pickens County
“Restoring Our School Pond”
This project will restore a school pond that once attracted turtles, frogs, dragonflies, and pollinators. Students will remove debris and invasive plants, install native aquatic and shoreline plants, monitor water quality, and identify and record wildlife that visits the pond. The Farm Bureau, Pickens County 4H, and the Pickens County Clemson Extension Water Resource Coordinator will help students maintain the pond, care for wildlife, and test water quality.
South Aiken High School, Aiken County
“The Pollinator Patch”
Students will practice sustainable gardening practices as they install containers around the school with pollinator plants to increase the biodiversity of the schoolyard. Bird baths and bee houses will add to the critical habitat components required by the SC Wildlife Federation to certify South Aiken High School as a schoolyard habitat. Students will also create signage for each container highlighting what plants are growing and which pollinators they attract.
St. Joseph Catholic School, Anderson County
“Butterfly Garden”
Elementary school students will expand the school’s current garden habitat by adding drought tolerant plants that attract native butterflies such as Monarchs and Swallowtails. Students will visit the Butterfly Garden at the Clemson Botanical Garden to learn about the life cycle of butterflies, and they will host a butterfly festival in Spring 2026 for the school and the community. Clemson Extension, Clemson Botanical Garden, Clemson Entomology Department, and Master Gardeners will provide guidance and support on the project.