How Does Our Garden Grow?

Teachers, parents, administrators, and students all helped to make a vision of local agriculture come to life. The new Lower Campus garden, like all school gardens, is based on dynamic learning experiences and provides numerous opportunities to expand upon the standards found in math, science, language arts, and the humanities. Growing a Three Sisters garden of corn, beans, and pumpkins, while learning about the Iroquois unit in second grade, is just one example of RCS students gaining an enhanced understanding because of direct action.

Beyond being an outdoor experiential classroom, the Lower Campus garden is a place where people can connect to the ecology around them. Appreciation for the natural world and the systems that make it work helps to instill a sense of place, and ultimately, a sense of responsibility. Learning about and growing edible plants encourages a sense of wonder for nature while developing healthy lifestyles.

SAGE, the dining provider at RCS, has been a strong supporter of the garden from the start and enthusiastically prepares and serves food with the label, “From Here!”. Students love harvesting what they have planted and taken pride in eating their bounty at lunch. They, along with the entire RCS community, have committed to sustainable practices and the garden is a great step in that direction.

It’s fitting that RCS has a garden during its centennial year. One hundred years ago, the concept of the Victory Garden took off across the country in backyards, public parks, and schools just like ours. These were created to supply food for World War I, but also aided in the promotion of an education that fosters awareness of nature, agriculture and nutrition, and community. RCS is continuing this tradition into the 21st Century and beyond. – RCS Science Teacher Joe Karr