Middle Gate Program Offers Students A Green Thumb

By Eliza Hallabeck

Two new full gardens and planted raised beds, the bases of which were already in place, are now the home of newly planted plants, thanks to the work of Middle Gate Elementary School’s Garden Club.

For the first time, Middle Gate Elementary School students had the opportunity to participate in a Junior Master Gardener Program, which is an international certification program for youth, through the school’s Garden Club. The six-week program offered at the end of the school year was called Health & Nutrition From the Garden, and allowed students to work toward their Junior Master Gardener Certificate.

“It’s about the kids,” said program coordinator and school parent Laura King.

Once a week after school the 28 participating students met for the Garden Club, and learned the basics of gardening, growing techniques, how to have thrifty gardens, and food safety, according to a PTA newsletter.

Ms King said the program is completely volunteer and is fee-free at the school thanks to donations and the volunteers.

During the program’s last day of the school year, local artist Kim Hossler spent the day in the art room with the students sharing the concept of drawing in a garden. The day had been planned to be outside, but due to rain, the students used the art room.

“If you have a sketch book, you should take it with you and go into the garden,” said Ms Hossler to students about their own gardens at home, if they have one.

Different plants bloom at different times of the year, so gardens are always changing, she said.

“Why do you think artists would choose flowers or plants as a subject?” Ms Hossler asked the students. Responses included different colors, textures, and the always-changing nature of plants. Nearly all the students had raised their hands to respond.

“Gardeners make great artists, too,” Ms Hossler said, “because they are great observers.”

Ms Hossler asked the students to draw two projects during their last day’s exercise. One was a map of the Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden the students had created at the school, and the other was to draw their favorite plant from that garden.

The Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden was created in the shape of a butterfly’s wings, and the plants in it were planted to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Also created by the club this year was a tepee garden, and the students planted lettuce, scallions, chives, pansies and more in raised planters at the school.

Along with potentially giving their drawings to parents, Ms Hossler said the students could also put them in a collection to be added to a book for the school’s library, so future students could see the way the Butterfly/Hummingbird Carden looked during its first year.

Third grader Connor Dinallo said he signed up as a member of the club because he wanted to learn how to plant plants correctly.

At home Connor said he and his family “usually sometimes grow a tomato garden every year. It’s basically our tradition.”

Tomatoes are also Connor’s favorite plant to grow, he said during the last meeting of the club.

“I like to plant plants in pots,” said another third grader, Melissa Mowak, “because my yard isn’t really good for gardening.”

During the second portion of the class Melissa was drawing a purple cone flower, because she liked the particular shade of pink in the photo of the flower.

“I get to learn a lot of things about gardening,” said Melissa about why she enjoyed the Garden Club. “Like how you should water stuff and weed.”

Despite a few days of rain that brought the club inside from its gardens, Ms King said the students have had a great time.

“People have donated their time and knowledge to make this possible,” said Ms King.

Along with Ms Hossler, Associate Professor of Biology at Fairfield University Shelly Phelan visited the club during its six-week program to teach the students about food safety.

Ms King also said Middle Gate School’s head custodian Dennis Petty created a website for the students that monitors the progress of their gardens. The website is available at https://pages.newtown.k12.ct.us/~pettyd/outdoorclass09/outdoorclass3.htm.

Materials for the school’s gardens were donated by Bethlehem Masonry Supply, Gilbertie’s Herb Farm, Chuck Hull Landscape, Planters Choice, and John and Terri Reisert’s family.

Another six-week program will be offered in the fall with a different topic as its focus. Ms King said interested Middle Gate parents should watch for more information and a sign-up sheet in a PTA newsletter in the fall.