School News
Junior Master Gardeners Club
My name is Melinda Jeffers and I am one of the teacher sponsors for our Junior Master Gardeners Club at Chestnut Mountain Elementary. We are called “Wonder Worms” with about 50 3rd – 5th graders attending bi-monthly. In August 2008, we opened the doors to a brand new beautiful facility and along with that, a huge potential garden area. Mr. Dave Rusk, the master mind, the fundraiser and the feet of our program put a dream into action. Within 7 short months a deforested “lot” took shape to a lovely, peaceful garden with an arbor, a shed, raised beds, trees, bushes, compost bin, annuals, perennials, and so much more. It is still a work in progress and so exciting to be a part of. We call our garden “the Wonder Garden” because we are Wonder Worms, but to me the transformation of the bare lot has been truly a wonder.
We have had many hands-on activities for the students to do. Digging holes, planting rhizomes, dumping vegetables from our cafeteria to the compose bin and so many more. But these true “hands-on” lessons are so much more important. Within every shovel of dirt and seeds planted we have learned hands-on that with hard work amazing things happen. They learned through hands-on that determination and tenacity is a must in our “I want it now” world. We’ve also learned hands-on that volunteerism is alive and well in our community. All of our Master Gardener Volunteers have no children in our school yet, they come faithfully every other month to help. Students see this and will hopefully do their part in years to come. Students have learned hands-on that generosity prevails in our hard economic times. By planting over 1300 donated daffodil bulbs to dozens of donated daylilies and irises, they’ve seen the generosity of folks they don’t even know. Volunteer hands have made a lovely arbor and sturdy tool shed. We are in the process of learning hands-on patience. We may not get instant gratification after hoeing, smoothing and planting, but the bigger rewards are waiting for us in the weeks to come. First when the sprouts peek through the dirt, next when plants grow and buds appear, and finally when we are able to harvest the fruits of our labor. We are also learning hands-on that if we care of the land, the land will take care of us. We are teaching hands-on the fundamentals of gardening in hopes that tomorrow’s children will experience what keeps us gardening today.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the Hall County Master Gardeners for “hands-on” investing in the future of our children. It could not be done without you.
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Thank you to some Flowery Branch High School students who made an arbor for the playground from funds generated from the Master Gardener’s grant.
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