about us
We’re a highly collaborative and supportive team of expert Garden Educators. We are passionate about the connections, growth and learning that takes place in nature.
Our Mission & Vision
We strive to build unique, long-lasting and organic school learning gardens that produce abounding harvests. We will create a space for school staff and students to make connections with themselves, the earth and each other while learning and growing. We will continue to be the number one school garden expert in the North-West Houston area.
Our Values
We aim to deliver the very best Garden Day experience each and every time with highly-qualified Garden Educators, hands-on student experiences, relevant curriculum and dedicated gardening support.
“The Ready to Grow Gardens staff is always prepared, knowledgeable and flexible.”
Elizabeth Franklin
Teacher, CFISD
Do you want to become a Garden Educator? Positions are filling up.
Applications are open for the 25-56 school year.
Meet the Ready to Grow Gardens Team
Stephanie Baker (Founder and Owner)
I earned my Texas Master Gardener Certification from the Texas Cooperative Extensive and Harris County Master Gardener Association in June of 2003.
I completed my volunteer work with students at Sheridan Elementary where two days a week I taught two hundred third graders how to grow a variety of vegetables out of 70 individual container gardens. I am proud to say that Sheridan Elementary is still one of our Garden Day Partner Schools to this day. Since then, we have expanded across the NW Houston area over the last 21 years.
I love spending time outside my grandchildren in our little “farm” in Tomball. We have chickens, goats, dogs and a tortoise!
Kara Wolf (Garden Educator and Assistant Garden Day Coordinator)
My first love was flowers. As a child I remember collecting fists full of flowers on neighborhood walks, drawing them in my sketch book as a tween and eventually learning to grow and arrange them as an adult in Conroe, TX where I reside with my husband. The garden quickly became the first and last place that I found myself each day.
Becoming a Garden Educator with RTGG was a natural progression as I have taught in the traditional school setting as a certified Spanish teacher for 4 years and I love students. I have taught Spanish to PreK through Seniors in high school and I love every age. 2025-26 is my sixth year working as a Garden Educator.
I am incredibly excited to get into your school learning gardens and help your students discover the joys of a garden. Planting seeds, discovering critters and harvesting carrots with children, truly, never gets old.
Celise Hamann (Garden Educator)
I have always had a love for the outdoors. I grew up camping most weekends and truly enjoyed being out in nature. Today you can find me in my own yard tending to my flower beds or looking for a new plant to add to my collection.
I retired in 2022 after 27 years of being an elementary classroom educator in Cypress Fairbanks ISD. My career was split between Lieder Elementary and A. Robison Elementary. Even after 27 years, I can say that I still have a passion for teaching. God has blessed me with this opportunity to share my love for gardening with my love of children. I look forward to all the fun garden experiences I will share with them in my 4th year as a Garden Educator with Ready to Grow Gardens!
Maria Paoli-Vega (Garden Educator)
I have always felt like a gardener without a garden. I read gardening blogs, subscribed to dozens of gardening content creators and constantly made plans for everything I wanted to grow. I dreamed of cooking dinner using ingredients from my backyard and making flower arrangements from flowers I grew myself. In 2021 I stepped back from my role as a Military and Family Life Counselor and moved to Houston to pursue my dream.
After breaking ground on m y garden and putting my hands in the soil for the first time, I began searching for a career that would allow me to garden every day. I’m grateful for the opportunity to blend the skills I’ve honed as a counselor, my love of working with children and my desire to garden, as a part of the RTGG team.
I’m stepping into 3rd year as a Garden Educator in the 2025-26 school year with gratitude and enthusiasm. I am excited to meet the students and teachers. I am most excited to help the students learn science through the various stages of caring for the garden.
Kara Auer (Garden Educator)
Kim Maxian (Garden Educator)
Melissa Phillips (Garden Educator)
Are you ready to join the team? Applications open for the 24-25 school year. We are seeking one part time outdoor educator.