Agriculture Alive in School
When Agr-Science teacher Carla Zimmerman first had an idea which arose from a conversation with the owners of Schroeder Flowers to have Plant Science as a separate class at Lombardi Middle School, I don’t think she really knew what it would grow into and, the huge impact it would have on the students, school and the community. As the students were taught about hydroponics and aquaponics and learned how to be responsible for the daily charting of the research and progress it began to grow within them a greater awareness about the world around them. That process actually first started when on the first day of class each student received a plant that they had to name and take care of. Seems like a small thing but that connection can be where it all starts and coming from someone who struggles to have a green thumb I know the relationship you can have with a living plant especially when it’s health depends on you.
The students grew lettuce and tomatoes along with other things and when they were ready they would pile them in big buckets and walk them down to the school cafeteria to be used by the schools kitchen to feed the students and staff. A powerful lesson in so many ways. The plants and flowers that were growing were also put on shelves and carts and were spread throughout the school hallways. I hope you are getting this vision of walking into a school that looks like a green house. The smell coming from the flowers the plants that were growing bigger every day where students would pass by to admire and soak it all in. The students told me the plants “brought life into our school.”
When I think of the things middle schools students are growing though personally, emotionally, socially and academically the power of bringing “life” in their school with growing living plants, vegetable and flowers the lessons in the classroom are far exceeding that. One of the students told me that having the plants at school helped them to be more aware of the world around them. Hello! Isn’t that what every parent wants for their middle school students? I love that because that tells me if they have that greater awareness then they can start to see their place in this world in a greater way and what an extremely valuable place that is to be.
Another benefit was cleaner indoor air as the students had planted the top ten NASA suggested air purifying plants. It is an incredible story that started with one teacher who started a Plant Science class that in turn had so many positive outcomes for the students and the environment. But this story doesn’t end there ironically as I am doing this story on the last day of the school year Ms Zimmerman takes me out to the community garden that they started. Garden boxes made by FAA, the Boyscouts and the students where growing and learning continues and asparagus, potatoes and so many other things are starting to get ready to be harvested. This garden has a special sign that reads “Take One Pick One” so if you pass by the Lombardi middle school climb the steps to the garden stop for a minute and soak in the power of Plant Science and the hope is that you will be inspired to take on your own “growing” project after all that’s the power of plant science.
