Healthy Schools Network Story Template
Date: June 10th, 2015
School Name: Summerland Secondary
School District: SD 67
Contact Name: Marnie Mennell
Contact Email/Phone Number: [email protected]
Did you receive an Activity Grant or an Inquiry Grant?
We received an Activity Grant so that we could improve our greenhouse and raised
vegetable beds in the school courtyard.
PART 1: Tell us about the learners at your school. Summerland Secondary school is
smaller school with 420 students. We have some students who have access to gardens
and others who have never put their hands in the soil and did not know how to tell the
difference between weeds and vegetable plants.
I enjoyed watching those students who knew about plants teach those who did not
know. I enjoyed observing my students take pleasure in watching their seeds germinate
into plants. I really enjoyed watching my students drink smoothies with the kale that
they planted!
PART 2: What did you do? (Focus and Plan, New Learning)
With the grant money that we received we rejuvenated the flower/vegetable beds
that we have in our courtyard. We purchased equipment, soil/manure, seeds, and a
few flowers to beautify our area. Last year the greenhouse club planted vegetables in
our courtyard but the vegetables were unsuccessful. The end result was disappointing.
This year the Foods and Nutrition classes, the Cafeteria classes and the Greenhouse
club worked together to rejuvenate the soil. They grew their own vegetables, planted
the new plants in our courtyard and sold extra plants to teachers.
Watching our students connect with each other and learn new skills was, and still is, so
amazing. I have one student who gets nervous and anxious sometimes while working in
cafeteria, I ask her to help in the garden and I see a new student! It totally relaxes her
and calms her right down.
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*This template is adapted from the Spiral of Inquiry (www.noii.ca)
PART 3: How did it go? (Taking Action)
The greenhouse club has been around for a few years. The club typically grows tomato
and cucumber plants and sells them at the local farmers market. In recent years, the
club has been putting their efforts into creating a courtyard (in the middle of our
school) that is both welcoming and informative. We wanted to create a space for
students to come to during breaks, a place where they could sit and relax and see
vegetables growing. “That’s a broccoli plant?” is one of my expressions!
I decided to have my Foods and Nutrition classes as well as the Cafeteria classes jump
on board. Now all these groups are responsible for growing the plants from seeds,
planting them in our raised beds and selling the extras within our school community.
Our courtyard is currently growing kale, carrots, garlic, watermelon, cucumbers, corn,
tomatoes and herbs.
Putting students in an environment and getting them to do things that they normally
don’t get to do is exciting. Our students are feeling like they are contributing and are
taking pride in their work. They are learning new skills and they are learning what it
takes to grow food. I am noticing some students more willing to try the vegetables as
they grew it. As I mentioned before, some of them drank smoothies with the kale that
they grew!
PART 4: What are your reflections and how can you build on your efforts? (Reflect &
Evaluate)
It was a challenge to get my entire classroom engaged with the space that we have
for our courtyard and greenhouse. It was difficult to get 24 students to plant seeds all at
once. It was difficult to watch over all students as they weeded the beds (some of
them pulled out important plants while others didn’t do much at all). Next year I will
have a smaller groups planting. I will create a schedule for garden maintenance and
will give more responsibility to specific students to ensure the small tasks are being taken
care of (like water the baby plants every day!). I would also like to recruit another
teacher to help with the greenhouse club. I found that during the weekends when the
plants were in the greenhouse, I had to drive to school to ensure the plants didn’t die. I
just need an extra set of adult eyes. I may even research garden clubs in Summerland
to see if a community expert could come and help teach the students other
ideas/facts/techniques about gardening.
Please share this story on the Healthy Schools BC Stories Map. Remember to share pictures
and/or videos too!
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*This template is adapted from the Spiral of Inquiry (www.noii.ca)