ROCKY MOUNT, Va. (WDBJ) – At Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Rocky Mount, Jennifer Hatch’s seventh-grade math students have worked hard this year caring for their outdoor garden.
The idea for the garden started two years ago. Ms. Hatch had just received two awards for her work implementing a hydroponics garden in her classroom and she wasn’t stopping there. The Farm Bureau Women’s Committee for Franklin County wanted to help.
“[Ms. Hatch] said, I want a school garden. She figured out where we could have it at school and got permission, and we started getting donations and it just blew up,” said Monica Bowman, member of the Franklin County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.
The ball hasn’t stopped rolling. These kids have been putting in work.
“The first time we came out here, all the dirt everywhere was hard and dry, so we had to get all that dirt — the soil that was good under there that was wet and moist, which was perfect for growing,” said Silas Gibson.
“It’s definitely a ton of hard work. A ton of getting dirty and everything. Planting everything was fun with classmates and everybody. And the hard work definitely pays off when you get to take it home and make good dishes,” explained Elijah Cerebe.
“Many of us have tried different stuff that we never tried and it might be their favorite food and we would have never known about it until this class, so it’s just about expanding their culinary experience,” Gage Grantham said.
The garden was selected as one of the winners in the American Farm Bureau Federation County Activities of Excellence Program. While this garden produced an incredible harvest this year, the kids are reaping the greatest benefit. Wyatt Weems is now in ninth-grade and still remembers how fun it was to get his hands in the dirt.
“It was definitely a lot better than regular math. Most math classes you’re just sitting there doing nothing, taking notes, but here you actually get to go outside and do stuff,” Weems said.
The garden is about more than math – showing these kids they could have a career in the ag industry.
“We have to fan that enthusiasm and show them that they can make a good living, they can do something meaningful,” Hatch said.
She explained there are imporant questions teachers need to ask themselves.
“What do the children want? What’s going to make them want to come to school? What’s going to make them want to learn? What’s going to make them want to get their heads out of their phones and computers and really engaged?,” Hatch said.
In this case, a garden is doing all of that. As far as what Ms. Hatch will think of next. We’ll just have to wait and see.
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