The New Seedling Foundation

The New Seedling Foundation is a semester-long study and non-profit branding project, created in the fall of 2020. This project focuses on Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University, and is based on providing funding and community involvement with the goal of preparing for a better tomorrow. This project contains background research on public education funding, designing a logo and identity for a non-profit, and branding applications (including facade, stationery, website, poster and flyer, 3D promotional piece, publication, and enclosure design). 

"The New Seedling Foundation is based on the quote by Bobbi Reiman‭, ‬where she spoke of Reiman Gardens and said‭ ‬“Let this place also serve as a tribute to the teachers who nurture new seedlings each year and bring students’‭ ‬budding talents to full bloom‭ ‬‮–‬proving again that education bears living seeds that beautify the world‭.‬” Teachers provide a safe haven to students and push them to strive for success‭. ‬They are one of the first influences and support‭ ‬systems that young students have outside of their immediate home and family members‭. ‬Since the recession‭, ‬states have continuously cut funding to an already undersupported educational system‭. ‬We want to help‭. ‬Founded in 2020‭, ‬we believe no teacher should harvest alone‭. ‬Teachers are asked so much of and rewarded with little‭. ‬We found that our primary public schools throughout the United States are victims of budget cuts that begin at a national level‭, ‬continue to occur at state levels‭, ‬and finalize at local levels‭. ‬Every year‭, ‬school budgets are shrunk‭. ‬This includes‭, ‬but is not limited to‭: ‬teachers’‭ ‬salaries‭, ‬extra-curricular programs‭, ‬low-income family support programs‭, ‬and more‭. ‬The common theme throughout our findings has‭ ‬been that those who deserve funding the most have been given the least‭. ‬We want to step up and make a change‭. ‬For a better tomorrow‭, ‬we must start working today‭. ‬

​​It’s widely known that public education funding and teachers salaries are continuosly cut each year at alarming rates‭. ‬We found that‭ ‬“Each year‭, ‬salaries have been stagnant for the last 20‭ ‬years‭. ‬In fact‭, ‬from 1996‭ ‬to 2015‭, ‬the average‭ ‬weekly wages of public sector teachers decreased $30 per week‭, ‬from‭ $‬1,122‭ ‬to‭ $‬1,092‭ ‬in 2015‭. ‬During this same time period‭, ‬the weekly wages of all college graduates rose from‭ $‬1,292‭ ‬to‭ $‬1‭,‬416‭. ‬As a result‭, ‬teachers’ weekly earnings are now 23 percent lower than those of other college graduates‭. ‬Investing in content-rich‭, ‬varied‭, ‬high-quality curriculum can also lead to significant gains in student achievement‭. ‬Research‭ ‬shows that‭ ‬instructional materials can have an impact equal to or greater than the impact of teacher quality‭ (‬Partelow‭, ‬2018‭).‬” It’s been proven by studies that students prosper in well funded classrooms and districts‭. ‬Having the support they need in a case-by-case basis is crucial to success‭. ‬If we want to build a better tomorrow‭, ‬we must help the teachers who are educating the next‭ ‬generation‭. ‬“A study on the effect of court-ordered‭ ‬increases on per-pupil spending, for example, found a positive correlation with student graduation rates‭. ‬Court-mandated reforms tended to increase spending in higher-poverty districts and allocate more resources to districts based‭ ‬on observable indicators of student need‭, ‬such as free lunch eligibility and the enrollment of students of color‭ (‬Partelow‭, ‬2018‭).‬” Every year‭, ‬educational funding is cut deeper‭, ‬and teachers are paid less‭. ‬Teachers are constantly pushed to strive for greatness‭, ‬to go above and beyond in creating new and exciting modules that stimulate students‭. ‬Our teachers who are making experimental‭ ‬and successful enrichment based content should be rewarded and funded properly‭. ‬Our goal is to shine the well deserved spotlight on our science teachers, horitculture teachers, and those within the broader category of earth sciences who strive to teach enriching content with fun modules that impact our children’s views of the world and inspire them to make contributions.

​The New Seedling Foundation believes that teacher’s are some of the most deserving people on Earth‭. ‬They plant new ideas‭, ‬cultivate students minds for success‭, ‬and are left to harvest alone‭. ‬We want to help‭. ‬We see classrooms as a field, full of life and potential for growth. They constantly strive and think outside the box to excite students and make learning enjoyable‭. ‬We believe that if we expect teachers to fund their classrooms supplies‭, ‬as well as items for external learning modules that bring joy and excitement to the classroom‭, ‬that we are not doing our due diligence‭. ‬There is no excuse‭. ‬Teachers go above and beyond daily‭, ‬and there is no reason to add more weights to their already heavy load‭. ‬Their small salaries‭ ‬which continue to shrink and be the victim of budget cuts creates a negative ripple effect‭. ‬A teacher is a source of guidance‭, ‬inspiration‭, ‬and support‭. ‬They do so much more than just teaching‭.‬ Our teachers deserve recognition‭. ‬They deserve funding‭, ‬support‭, ‬and thanks‭. ‬We want to help‭.‬ At The New Seedling Foundation‭, ‬we believe teachers who go above and beyond their contractual minimums deserve recognition‭. ‬Our‭ ‬science‭, ‬horticulture‭, ‬and broader category of earth science teachers strive to create hands on learning experiences to give variation in curriculum and keep students excited‭. ‬Henry B‭. ‬Adams once said‭ ‬“A teacher affects eternity‭; ‬he can never tell where his influence stops”‭ ‬and we agree‭. ‬Every idea that changed the world was influenced by prior education‭, ‬and behind education stands a teacher‭. ‬If we‭ ‬support our teachers‭, ‬we support our students and the future of tomorrow‭.‬"​