The kale leaves are nearly as big as some of the kids who tend to them and eventually the sunflowers will tower over those same fourth-graders.
But, these kids aren’t fazed by the size of the plants they have growing in their small school garden. In fact, they’re rather proud of the results of their hard work and green thumbs.
Students in first through fourth grades at Sirrine Elementary School in Mesa can join the garden club where they learn to grow vegetables, how to care for a garden — including watering, fertilizing and weeding it — and gain an understanding of the role of agriculture in the world.
This year, students are growing kale, broccoli, radishes, carrots, sunflowers, cabbage and an assortment of herbs.
Twice a month the five club members stay after school to care for their garden while club advisers and Sirrine teachers Cherri Biggs and Raenie Brown sprinkle in what essentially are lessons.
“The goal is to get their hands dirty,” Biggs said, “and to get them into nature and to try something new and learn.”
Brown said this is her first venture into gardening and she’s learning alongside the kids. Biggs is also new to the garden club, but has raised gardens at home.
“My kids are impressed with what I grow here at school,” Biggs said, “I dabble at home.”
The kids have mixed feelings about the vegetables they are raising. Jayton Wilson, 9, said he likes to eat everything in the garden.
But, his fellow gardeners — Natalie Alonzo and Kylee Sutton, both also 9 — said they prefer to stay away from a dinner plate that includes kale.
The students can’t actually eat any of the produce they grow, because it’s not certified by the correct agencies. But, teachers can, and do, harvest the crops.
Jayton said the since he joined the club he’s learned “how to love a garden.” He wants to grow vegetables at home and expects to garden for the rest of his life.
And, he said, he has fun in the garden club.
The students have been given tasks outside the vegetable garden. They weed and care for a rose garden just across the courtyard from their veggies.
They pay close attention to the garden. Natalie said “not too long ago” she and Jayton found caterpillars in the garden. That led to a discussion of why bugs like gardens and the larger role plants play in the life of insects, birds and other animals.
It’s not all dirty hands. These kids are learning, perhaps without even realizing it.
• Contact writer: 480-898-6533 or sridenour@evtrib.com.
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• Contact writer: 480-898-6533 or sridenour@evtrib.com.
• Check us out and like the East Valley Tribune on Facebook and EVTNow on Twitter.
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