2026 Search for Excellence Poster Showcase | UC Master Gardener Program

The 2026 Search for Excellence Poster Showcase highlights outstanding projects submitted by UC Master Gardener Programs from across California. Explore this year’s submissions and celebrate the first-, second-, and third-place award recipients whose projects demonstrate excellence in volunteer-led education, outreach, and community impact.

First Place

UC Master Gardener Program of Orange County

Growing Food in Small Spaces

The Hydroponics Team helps community members learn to grow fresh produce without soil using the Kratky method, a low-cost, beginner-friendly hydroponic technique. Through hands-on education, the project makes food gardening more accessible to people with limited growing space while promoting sustainable practices and food security

Search for Excellence poster from the UC Master Gardeners of Orange County highlighting their Hydroponics project. The poster describes the program’s goals, strategies, and 2024–2025 results and includes photos of Master Gardeners teaching Kratky hydroponics, a hydroponic starter kit, a classroom setup, and an illustrated Kratky hydroponics handout. The project promotes an accessible, low-cost method for growing food without soil, particularly for people with limited gardening space.

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Second Place

UC Master Gardener Program of Butte County

Bringing Science to Life in School Gardens

UC Master Gardener volunteers support school gardens as hands-on learning environments where students can build gardening knowledge and connect with the natural world. Through educational activities and volunteer support, the project helps schools use their gardens to engage students and strengthen garden-based learning.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County poster titled “Empowering Leaders in a Living Lab School Garden.” The poster describes a school garden education program that uses hands-on lessons about seeds, plants, and worms. Images show Living Lab science notebooks, families transplanting seedlings into a school garden bed, and school garden leaders participating in a hands-on lesson. The program has trained 120 school garden leaders over two years to deliver garden-based science education.

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Third Place

UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County

Opening the Garden Gate to Every Child

UC Master Gardener volunteers collaborate with community partners to provide research-based education about creating resilient landscapes. The project helps residents make informed landscaping choices that support sustainability, adapt to changing environmental conditions, and strengthen the resilience of local communities.

UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County poster titled “Growing Environmental Stewards One Student at a Time.” The poster highlights the Youth Education Field Trip Program at Nokhnoma Teaching and Demonstration Garden, where children participate in hands-on garden learning. Photos show students preparing food for worms, acting out a Four Sisters Garden lesson, planting seeds, and creating a miniature Wappo village. The poster describes the program’s mission, educational activities, and results, including

View Poster (PDF) | Read Visual Description | Download Visual Description (Word)