Gardens Grow at Washington Drive
What started as a small seed of an idea has grown into something so muchmore! Mrs. McNally, WDPS Principal, and Ms. Harley, WDPS teacher, applied for and received a project-based learning grant that allowed the school to purchase three hydroponic garden towers. Not only do these towers grow plants faster than traditional gardening, they are convenient, sustainable, leave a smaller CO2 footprint, and perfect for primary school-aged children to explore.
Before getting started in the gardens, students learned about the importance of fueling their bodies with healthy foods. They discovered that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables helps them run faster, think clearer, and feel happier. As their program motto states, “healthy food, healthy mood.” Throughout the year, students will have a chance to serve as a “plant partner,” transferring seed pods to the tower designated for their class and grade. Each class has two slots on its tower, and one tower is dedicated to each grade level. Housed in the cafetorium, it allows students to watch their plants grow during lunch, observing seedlings, germination, and how hydroponic systems grow plants, like lettuce and leafy greens, using only water and light.
The garden beds in the outdoor classroom are another new addition to Washington Drive. Ethan Ambrosio, son of WDPS teacher Mrs. Ambrosio, fundraised for and built these garden beds as part of his Eagle Scout project.
They now provide additional space for Washington Drive students to grow more plants and expand their hands-on learning.
At the February 11 Board of Education Meeting, two Washington Drive students joined Mrs. McNally and Ms. Harley to chat about their experience with hydroponic gardening and project-based learning.
If being part of the planting process and watching the towers flourish isn’t exciting enough, Washington Drive is planning a hydroponic harvest day in the spring, where students will enjoy a nutritious salad made entirely from
what they’ve grown - the ultimate garden-to-table eating event!