WARD, Ark. (KATV) — At Ward Central Elementary School, students are not just learning about gardening; they’re cultivating life skills and friendships in their very own “Cultivating Kindness” garden.
Jenie James, a counselor at the school, said the initiative began during the COVID-19 pandemic when she developed a passion for growing things and wanted to share it with the students.
“We started the cultivating kindness garden, and I have third and fourth-grade students named sprouts that we call the sprouts, and they take care of the garden for us,” said James. “We meet at least once a week, and we grow and harvest.”
The garden is more than just a place to grow plants; it’s a classroom for teaching resilience, teamwork, patience, and the importance of healthy living. “It just is really awesome, and also just how important food is, and that it doesn’t come from the back of a store, it comes from the ground,” said James.
Students like Ava, Gabriel, and Olivia are enthusiastic participants.
Gabriel shared his experience with tri-colored carrots, saying, “It was so many different flavors, like, there’s like, I tried out three different flavors of carrots and and different colors, which I saw seemed super cool.”
The garden has even won awards, including the Best Education Garden and Best Collaboration Garden from Arkansas Farm to School. James attributes their success to community support and a dedicated Parent-Teacher Organization that helps maintain the garden during the summer.
For those interested in starting a garden, James advised, “Just do it. Don’t think too much about it. Just put a garden. Put a raised bed out there, get some dirt.”
The students’ enthusiasm and the community’s support have made the garden a thriving hub of learning and fun.