Afterschool at Summit Christian School

I worked with a group of 18 fourth graders at Summit Christian School. Together we learned more about the environment, and then discussed issues we might address on the school campus. They came up with things like building a garden, protecting cypress trees from runoff, and catching and getting feral cats fixed. The cat project was shot down, though the kids were excited about it, because it was too dangerous. In the end, they decided to plant a garden.

First, we had to find out where to build it. I met with the maintenance supervisor Mr. Nickols and discussed possible places. He loaned me a map on which about five places the kids could use. We went over the possibilities together and chose one based on visibility, sustainability, and beautification. We wrote to the headmaster to get permission to use it. In the end, he suggested a different place that was even better for the criteria than what we had asked for. The plot of land was approved.

Then, there was the choice of plants. We decided to make it an all native garden, focusing on butterfly and bird plants. I made a list of 30 or so plants that would suit the land and the kids chose the ones they wanted to use. However, when I went out to get the plants, a few were not available, and I had to get doubles of some plants and also some other plants recommended by the nursery owners.

Finally, the day came. Maintenance had cleared out the grass in the 15 by 30 foot area the week before. I set out the plants according to basic landscaping as I had taught the kids, and lined out the path that would go through the garden. I had 36 kids helping to build the garden, because the other class joined mine in the half-day they got off from school. We provided them all with plenty of water, because it was hot outside. After the plants were in the ground, Mrs. Beatty took the kids that weren’t doing anything else inside. The dedicated kids that stayed out helped my mother and I spread native grass seed, unload and spread the red mulch as well as build the path, stepping stones and all.

The garden more than fulfilled our goal, but it won’t fill its full potential for quite a few months, because the plants are small. When everything has grown up, the garden will not have any wide empty spaces. The natural wetland grass will come up from under the mulch, the shrubs will grow to three or four times the size they are now, and the flowers and the vine will all spread out and multiply, the vine going up and the flowers going out. Also, maintenance will donate a white fence to put up around the garden so that you can only walk on the path.

A couple of the kids will also help me to announce the garden’s presence in both of the school’s chapels so that everyone knows about it. We also plan to make posters for around the school, flyers for the teachers, and eventually, a wooden sign next to the garden itself telling about it and who made it. All in all, it was a big success. And everyone continues to compliment the 4th graders and myself on our achievement. I can’t wait to see what the garden looks like next year.