The work at Amundsen has been supported in part by the Chicago Department of the Environment and the Urban Greening Fund of the University of Illinois Corporative Extension Service. Students take part in the beneficial landscaping through growing plants from seed that they then transfer outside, weeding, pruning, mulching, collecting trash, building fences, posting signs, and providing other day-to-day maintenance. The students have developed a sense of ownership and pride for the landscaping work that they have put into the land around their school. Amundsen has received other positive reactions from the community including an award from the local gardening club. The biggest obstacles for the project have been damage to the area from dogs and neighborhood children, especially during the summer months. Overall, the beneficial landscaping at Amundsen is a huge success and their advice to others considering using native landscaping, is "just get planting".
For more information contact Jim Doyiakos at Amundsen at (312) 534-2320. The fax number for the school is (312) 534-2330.