Breaking Ground for Garden Club - "Learn As We Grow!"

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 15

This "Breaking Ground for Green Space at Gulf Coast, Come Grow with Us" made possible by your generous donation/support experienced many unforeseen ...adventures... this past year.

For starters, we needed the district approval to use the site we had been assigned by our Admin team - and that, unfortunately - took about 3 months to accomplish, rather leaving our club members in an eternal "planning" state rather than "doing." At the very least - during this time - they planted some seeds and were cultivating them in a portable greenhouse (donated by the Biology classes) and were practicing how to care for their crops.

   Outcome - these Gracious Garden Club peeps learned Patience & Respect for the "Process"

We then learned that much of what I, the sponsor, had imagined we would need for our garden area - was not permissible per county guidelines. For example, a garden shed &/or compost bin could not be attached to a cement slab (therefore we could not have one) and a composite raised bed would be the only material they would approve (meaning, more expensive)

   Outcome - these Gallant Garden Club peeps learned Compromise

We agreed to wait until January, upon return from winter break to break ground. The raised-beds arrived from Amazon - components of which were....completely...shattered. Two boxes yielded, however, enough product to build only a single bed. So build we did. As a team. We considered what to do, how to do it, made mistakes, solved problems, shared the work, sweat...some cried. And it was. Awesome.

   Outcome -  these Noble Garden Club  peeps experienced Pride and Appreciation in response to Strong Fortitude and Positive Attitude & Perseverance (& the sponsor learned to check the boxes as they arrive, forevermore!)

Once the second bed arrived (to replace the broken items from before), the team, having learned from their mistakes the first time, put the bed together in nearly half the time it took the first - it was inspiring to watch.

   Outcome - World Application of Lessons Learned

And so - beds built - garden planted - The club members made a schedule for caring for the plants...a "who waters what, when" schedule. It was effective, it was functional; they exhibited remarkable teamwork. The garden was never neglected during this time.

     Outcome: They learned how to "Plan your work, and work your plan"

But then...the roofing company destroyed our beds...as in, literally, ran over them with their trucks and shattered the composite frames. (yikes) This is when the GC Garden Club Peeps impressed me the most. They rallied, they uprooted, they moved plants to a safer place ...and waited to see how the situation would be rectified. (of note, the roofing company fully replaced and repaired the damage in about 2 weeks - hooray!)

   Outcome: These steadfast Garden Club peeps realize that life does not ever go according to plan, and that's Ok. Overcoming Obstacles is a thing.

And then....spring Break....

Who could have known.....

Well, this sponsor went to the school, dug up the garden in its entirety... and the Garden now resides in my outdoor lanai... I send pictures to the club members regularly and give them hope that we will have something to start with upon return to school

    Outcome - The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry... and in the words of Maya Angelou, "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”