TROY, N.Y. >> After 10-weeks of hard work and learning more about the importance of gardening, students at Carroll Hill Elementary School recently marked the end of its garden club with a salad party.
This was the first year students at the elementary school were able to participate in a garden club. The district was able to make the addition thanks to a pilot project.
The garden club was offered to any student in grades 3 to 5, and the club met once a week for more than an hour each time.
“We started the pilot program this year in collaboration with the Junior League of Troy,” said Maxine Fantroy-Ford, administrative coach and consultant with the district. “We wanted to do this because based on research all across America, schools are engaging in community urban gardens and I thought it would be excellent for this staff and with all the land that we have around the school for the students to engage in a garden project.”
Fantroy-Ford said during the course of the club, students were able to participate in helping to plant fresh fruits and vegetables right outside of their school and at the same time she said that they were able to learn many educational skills too.
“Our students were able to use journals and charting the plant growth, watch climate and they also engaged in other educational activities during the gardening process,” said Fantroy-Ford.
Fantroy-Ford went on to say how the students were also fortunate enough to learn gardening skills from a professional gardener, who came in each week and worked with the students.
“It was a phenomenal experience working with the professional gardener,” said Fantroy-Ford. “With her help, we were able to plant some lettuce, tomatoes, corn and peas and we also had other local speakers come in.”
Fantroy-Ford also believes that this club helped to show the students about eating healthy foods.
“It starts at the early age, eating healthy is important in life and it can help prevent a lot of future health issues,” explained Fantroy-Ford.
Fifth-grader Emiley Filuta was one of the students in the club, and said she learned a lot during it. Filuta said she had such a good experience that her parents are now letting her start her own small garden at home.
“I wanted to be a part of the gardening club so that I could learn more about gardening and learn how to have a healthy garden,” said Filuta. “I learned not to spray anything on your garden in order to help keep it healthy and if you don’t spray anything then you can just pick the food right out and eat it and it’s been a lot of fun gardening.”
Principal Roy Stiles was in attendance for the club’s salad party Wednesday afternoon and said that he was proud of the work the students did in the club.
“I think they all did a great job, especially with this being our first year,” said Stiles. “I think the kids did a great job really learning from scratch of what it takes to plant a garden.”
Fantroy-Ford said she hopes the garden club will be able to continue next school year. In the meantime, they will continue to keep up the garden that the group started outside the school this year.
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