The smell of fresh pumpkin and apple soup wafted through the halls of the Westshore Centre for LearningB次元官网网址檚 Colwood campus on a cold afternoon last week.
Students, faculty and members of the Western Garden Club sat down to enjoy a lunch of soup, mixed greens with shredded carrots, croutons, pumpkin pie and tea. But it wasnB次元官网网址檛 any ordinary lunch B次元官网网址� all the ingredients were picked from the schoolB次元官网网址檚 community garden, which the students helped grow and prepare in the kitchen.
As part of the schoolB次元官网网址檚 sustainable resources class, which runs from February to June and gives students a Grade 11 science credit, students learn how to plant and nurture seedlings, transplant, weed out and harvest in the roughly, 4,000-square foot garden on Sooke Road. Students had their own grow boxes and planted a variety of tomatoes, lettuces, cabbages, raspberries, carrots, beets, herbs, apples, squash and onions.
While other schools have gardens, Jennifer Freeman of Zero Mile Solutions who helps support the development of the garden, said this one is unique in that gardening is integrated into the curriculum.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of gardens at high schools are an add or itB次元官网网址檚 maybe a demonstration garden. But this is really from beginning to end part of the kidsB次元官网网址� class curriculum. ItB次元官网网址檚 a really great, unique resource,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of people today donB次元官网网址檛 have to grow a garden anymore, so theyB次元官网网址檙e not getting that really valuable hands-on experience thatB次元官网网址檚 really healing and very helpful. TheyB次元官网网址檙e [students] experiencing that. ItB次元官网网址檚 a different form of outdoor activity, like what sports can give to people or going out for a walk.B次元官网网址�
The garden has been happening in various capacities on the property for the last 12 years, however, this year the school was able to add a greenhouse, thanks to funding from the Horner Foundation, that supports not-for-profit organizations to foster positive youth development.
Freeman has received lots of positive feedback from students who say being in the garden has made them more self-aware. They realize theyB次元官网网址檙e playing too many video games or instead of going to the smoke pit during break, will go and tend to their garden.
Grade 11 student Josh Hill enjoyed learning about the environment and the world and community around him, and now has plans to pursue a career as a horticulturalist.
B次元官网网址淚 really liked the class, itB次元官网网址檚 really fun to learn how to grow plants and food that you can eat,B次元官网网址� he said, adding he grew tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli and flowers. B次元官网网址淵ou have so much fun and time just flies.B次元官网网址�
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