Huntington Foundation Grant Grows at Jefferson
What do you get when you mix a couple of raised planting beds, lots of bags of soil, a dose of mulch and a variety of vegetable and herb seeds, along with some plants and add the efforts of an energetic group of second grade students?
The answer is a garden full of opportunities for ongoing exploration and learning. Located in the courtyard of Jefferson Primary School on Oakwood Road in Huntington, this project went into full swing earlier this month.
“These gardens are affording the students hands-on experiences to grow, observe, and care for a multitude of vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, squash, bell peppers, and radishes, said teacher Susanne Kaczor who is spearheading the initiative.
The project was funded by a Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education mini-grant written by Mrs. Kaczor. “Creating an outdoor garden is a lot of work but the students have been ready for the challenge,” she said.
Jefferson School custodian Mark Smith “has been invaluable with the overall set-up of the garden and helping the students mix the soil well so the seeds and plants get off to a great start,” said Mrs. Kaczor who is retiring at the end of the school year.
A group of Jefferson families will rotate this summer for weeklong courtyard garden upkeep duties. There should be an extra bonus this year with fresh vegetables and herbs to take home.
“With the ‘seed’ funds from the Huntington Foundation, Jefferson students will continue to establish a learning environment that is going beyond the walls of their classroom,” Mrs. Kaczor said.
All graphics, photographs, and text appearing on the Huntington Public Schools home page and subsequent official web pages are protected by copyright. Redistribution or commercial use is prohibited without express written permission. Comments or Questions? email the Public Information Office