Students at Sonny Carter Elementary are learning how to grow their own vegetables through the school’s garden club and sharing the harvest with families in need.
MACON, Ga. — Students at Sonny Carter Elementary School are getting hands-on experience growing their own food through the school’s garden club.
“I enjoy garden club because of the planting and the process I’d be doing,” fifth grader Elijah Hill said.
The garden club gives students the chance to get outside and learn how food goes from the garden to the table. It’s also part of the school’s larger effort to incorporate more STEAM learning. The STEAM program focuses on developing students’ skills in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
The garden, located next to the school, is primarily used to grow vegetables. As spring approaches, students are preparing to plant even more crops.
The idea for the garden actually came from the students themselves. Fifth graders asked if the school could start a garden, and now they help lead the project.
Education support and STEAM specialist Jacquelin Lee oversees the club. She said the experience has helped many students realize where food really comes from.
“What they said was ‘we thought that vegetables came from Kroger’s and now we know that they actually come from a garden,’ it was just like eye-opening for them,” Lee said.
Fifth grader Wade Cofield said students have already grown several vegetables, including acorn squash, pumpkins and cabbage.
“It’s fun learning about how to garden, it’s fun gardening. Gardening is another way to release the energy that you want to release,” Cofield said.
Students said the most rewarding part of the project is sharing the food they grow.
“It makes me feel happy because we’re helping people who are in need,” fifth grader Olivia Hoban said.
Garden club members give the vegetables they harvest to families at the school who may need them, often handing out produce during the pickup line.
Lee said the students have been sharing their harvest since December.
“They’ve constantly been giving out and giving away ever since they started in December, harvesting things. So it is just and the smile on their face of being able to give something to somebody that they know they can take it home and use right away. It’s been absolutely awesome,” Lee said.
The garden club is also helping Sonny Carter Elementary work toward becoming a STEAM-certified school.
Families will have a chance to see more student projects during the school’s 2026 STEAM Expo on March 27 from 5-7 p.m. There will be engineering and problem-solving activities, food and vendors.
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