One of the things I really like to do to relax is garden… no, I like to sit in a garden… no, I like to cook with freshly grown herbs and vegetables… no, I like to look at butterflies… Well, at any rate, all of those things are really relaxing and we met a group of students who found a way to do all of those things! The Garden Club at Berea-Midpark Middle School invited us to see the garden they planted and happen to be this week’s A+ Award winners.
Indie and Hannah told us that the idea for a garden club started a few years ago when they were in sixth grade social studies with Mr. Pearl. You see, their school had a courtyard that really wasn’t in great shape and they wanted to do something to make the space a bit more usable. Indie took on the role of garden master, we just made the up, and recruited a few of her classmates to spend time in the courtyard over this past summer recreating the space. The garden has even been designated as a “certified schoolyard habitat!”
Lucas told us that they wanted to make the courtyard inviting for students, teachers, and.. Butterflies! They planted a wide variety of herbs and vegetables that the family consumer science classes are using in their recipes. Things like peppers, basil, onions, and cabbages. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry!
That’s not all, Evelyn told us that they also planted a few native species to help pollinators and monarch butterflies as they migrate. Pollinators are insects, like bees and butterflies, that help spread pollen. Brooklynn explained that they planted black eyed Susans and milkweed to attract the butterflies. A lot of the flowers they planted are perennials. A perennial is a plant that lives more than two years without needing to be replanted.
The group told us that they were really proud of their work. They found it motivating to know that they will be leaving something behind as a legacy to their hard work. They’re hoping that teachers and students find the courtyard to be a relaxing place to learn. Well, here at NewsDepth headquarters, we’re pretty sure they are a success because when we were there we saw two teachers relaxing and about 15 students eating lunch! The Garden Club also wanted to give a Titan shoutout to Grace Church for donating all of the plants.
This week’s A+ Award goes to the Garden Club at Berea-Midpark Middle School. Keep up the great work!
Submit your ideas for our NewsDepth A+ segment to newsdepth@ideastream.org for consideration.
