Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, August 13, 2010

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Students have built three raised gardening beds in a courtyard at the "It's About Kids" Support Services campus. They're planting potatoes, lettuce and broccoli this fall.

Hands-on lessons are blossoming as teens dig into a courtyard gardening project at the “It’s About Kids” Support Services campus.

“They’re not only planting and building it – they’re going to take care of it,” said Jordan Johnson, a teacher for AIM and Project Rebound, two alternative programs in Fayette County Public Schools housed at IAKSS.

His students have put in three raised beds. This summer’s trial run included tomatoes and herbs like parsley, thyme and cilantro. This fall, they are planting potatoes, lettuce and broccoli.

At harvest time, the kids will set up their own farmers’ market and sell the produce to school district employees.

“We’re trying to use it as a bridge for our kids to meet the staff here,” Johnson explained.

In the spring, students will tend a flower garden and window boxes – designing bouquets and floral arrangements and delivering them to various IAKSS offices, he said.

The project has spurred enthusiasm among the teens, including 18-year-old Sierra Norton, who is no novice gardener.

“I’ve planted two rose bushes in my front yard and some tomato bushes at home,” she said.

She noted how wire baskets help support the courtyard tomato bushes, saying, “We make sure to take off the dead leaves so the branches will grow up more.”

Sierra said the garden project teaches beginners what to do and what not to do. “And it makes you feel good about yourself knowing you’re helping the environment,” she added.

Since he uses PLATO online courses in the classroom, Johnson wanted to incorporate more project-based learning.

“We’ll do programs through the year that use the garden as a focus,” he said, citing possible lessons in agriculture, health, geometry and business.

For instance, the teens will do a cost analysis after their harvest sale and research what to plant next time. Some want to grow pumpkins, but they would be too crowded in the 4x8-foot beds. Mums are another option.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan Shields said they’ve already honed their math skills, measuring the beds to determine how much soil was needed and estimating the amount of water for the plants.

Teamwork also plays a role as students tackle various tasks, from nailing the 10-inch-wide cedar boards to spreading mulch to setting seeds.

“They love being able to get out of the classroom,” Johnson said. “They’re just excited to do some new stuff.”