11 Spencer Lane ♦ Annandale, NJ 08801 ♦ 908.832.7200

our community garden

our community garden

Students and staff members from the Hunterdon Preparatory School, along with volunteers from several community businesses teamed up in late April to kick off a campus beautification project that includes the creation of Hunterdon Prep’s first Community Garden. This work is just the beginning of a multi-phase campus beautification plan designed and donated to the school by Medea Landscape Studio and supported with donations from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Mendham Garden Centers, and the Giving Garden.

The idea for the Community Garden is an extension of the school’s yearly Earth Day activities. For 25 years Hunterdon Preparatory School has planned yearly events designed to mentor students in the stewardship of our earth. This year’s Community Garden initiative grew from a vision of creating an outdoor garden area where produce and vegetables could be grown for use at the school and for sharing with surrounding communities. It came from the vision of students and community volunteers working together to build and sustain a garden space that will continue to evolve through generations of students who attend Hunterdon Prep and will welcome all who are interested in participating. Toby Ray Loyd, Executive Director, Hunterdon Preparatory School shares, “Our new Community Garden is the result of a sharing of ideas and energy between our staff, students and community supporters.  It is a great example of the collaborative spirit of the HPS community, and our passion for sharing our talents and abilities with the Hunterdon County community that supports us.” Specialized Learning Experience Coordinator,  Jamie Cappezuto, adds, “Like a growing garden, all of our ideas at HPS start as seedlings from our students and in collaboration with our staff and community supporters, a project that will feed people in mind, body and spirit has begun.”

Hunterdon Prep’s rural campus is an ideal location for a community garden and since the school hosts a robust summer program, students will be able to participate year round in the work required to sustain the garden. HPS plans to use foods reaped from the garden to prepare meals at the school and to contribute fresh produce and vegetables to the surrounding communities. These hands-on projects serve as a valuable tool in educational engagement and benefit our students in the areas of math, science, language arts, and social sciences.

Students and staff at Hunterdon Prep are grateful for the support and generosity of these community partners who are helping to bring the project to fruition: Medea Landscape Studio, Mendham Garden Centers, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and the Giving Garden. A team of volunteers from Novartis and worked alongside students and staff as part of their Community Partnership Day. Amy Fry, Vice President, Communications and Patient Relations, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation shares, “Community Partnership Day has been a traditional day of volunteer service at Novartis for 20 years, bringing together associates around the world and across functions to support our nonprofit partners and the important work that they do. It’s a fun and rewarding day to volunteer together and support our mission of discovering new ways to extend and improve people's lives.”  Hope Atkinson, Hunterdon Prep’s Business Manager sums up this exciting new joint venture, “We all have something we can learn from one another. By working side by  side with volunteers from Novartis and Medea Landscape Studios, our students learned not only the practical skill of gardening and landscaping, but also how much can be accomplished in one day when you work together.  It is wonderful feeling when you have community partners who are willing to invest their time and share their expertise with our school community.”

Recent News

students petting a small dog

On December 6th, HPS hosted its first therapy dog Meet and Greet event for students.&nb...

photo of dolls on a table
Holiday Hands 2023
December 1, 2023

Many, many thanks to our students and staff for generously supporting the United Way&rs...

clip art of a coat drive
Warm coat drive collection
November 22, 2023

WINTER COAT DRIVE ... sharing warmth, one coat at a time Today Hunterdon Prep studen...

two students with a puppy
Welcome back!
September 21, 2023

We are off to a great start at HPS!  There is a sense of optimism and hope filling...

painting of a river and trees
Paintings by Hannah L.
May 12, 2023

Hannah L. is part of our 12+ program and has been attending classes at Raritan Valley C...

Black dog in a harness

Our friend, Pele, graduated from the Seeing Eye in February. She was matched with a wom...

Upcoming Events

School closed for spring break (March 29 - April 5)

Start: Mar 29, 2024 End: Apr 5, 2024

Multi-Day Event

Alice Paul Institute field trip (9:00-3:30)

Apr 17, 2024 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Young Artist Showcase at Clinton Art Museum

Apr 20, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

MET Museum trip

Apr 25, 2024 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

"Open Mike" showcase

Apr 26, 2024 1:05 AM - 2:05 AM

NJSLA testing begins (4/29 - 5/3/24)

Start: Apr 29, 2024 End: May 3, 2024

Multi-Day Event

This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.

908.832.7200 ♦ Fax: 908.832.9772 ♦ 11 Spencer Lane ♦ Annandale, NJ 08801
csmith@hunterdonprep.org

HUNTERDON PREPARATORY SCHOOL IS A, not-for-profit, day school serving students between the ages of 12 and 21
 from over 40 school districts in New Jersey. We are located near the town of Clinton in west central NJ.

WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY
Hunterdon Preparatory School is committed to making our content accessible to all members of the public, including those with disabilities. This includes parents, students, employees, and all others associated with our district. If you need assistance in accessing materials on the district website, please contact the school.

 

HUNTERDON PREPARATORY SCHOOL IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL
The Hunterdon Preparatory School provides educational services to applicants and employs personnel without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, economic or social background, or religious preferences. School programs and school related activities during the day and after regular school hours provide equal access for all students regardless of race, color, creed, sex, and national origin. Books, curricula, and other materials, course content, subject matter, and reading lists are reviewed for sex, race, and cultural bias. Materials are chosen to represent a wide range of opinions and suggested pupil activities.