Central High School’s school garden is about to Keep on Growing.
The Central High School Botanical Society applied for a grant from the Whole Kids Foundation to help fund their school garden late last school year. And on Aug. 2, Central’s gardeners were notified that they had received a $3,000 garden grant.
The school’s garden was one of 1,400 applicants selected to receive funds.
“Receiving the Whole Kids Foundation garden grant is recognition of the community that Brandi Mendenall and I have been building over the last eight years,” said Paul Epps, CHS Botanical Society leader and Environmental Sciences teacher. “Central Botanical Society has had about 250 members since we started. These gardeners have developed friendships, work ethic and a sense of ownership that they still hold. We get texts from them all the time, sharing memories of building something or tasting a vegetable for the first time.”
The Central High School garden features berry bushes, blooming flowers and hearty vegetables, all grown and cared for by CHS students, staff and community volunteers. In addition to the garden’s harvest, its infrastructure is supported by additional CHS students. Industrial Arts classes build garden beds and benches. Poetry classes explore the human condition among the plants. And hungry neighbors are encouraged to harvest overflowing herbs, vegetables and more.
“I hope earning a $3,000 grant for the Central Botanical Society’s gardens will pave the way for other Garden Champions in the district to apply for grants and advocate for their school’s gardens,” said Kendall Slaughter, Farm to School coordinator at SPS. “I also hope that it will motivate more schools and more teachers to participate in the Farm to School program.”