First day of first class in the Sanderlin Garden. My five Eckerd students were noticably nervous before the kids came out. I went over our strategy with them. We'll observe the garden, capture some data, and plant some seeds.
"So are we actually going to be teaching these kids?" One of the undergraduates asked sheepishly. "That's the plan." I replied.
Mrs. Kearn's third grade class came out in a nice neat line, every one of them had been in the garden before, and they were bustling with excitement to be back. I introduced my student to the elementary class, and my volunteers set to work.
Small groups, lots to look at. They wandered around the garden pointing out our new tomatoes and basil and radishes, and showing where the banana tree is fruiting.
Several kids picked and sampled radishes, sprouted from a workday in late summer. Everyone helped us get our garden map in order and then they planted some seeds of their own.
Twenty-five minutes were gone in a flash. The nervous smiles and gestures of my volunteers were replaced with smiles of achievement. "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," one of them said.
Me, I saw budding educators another year in a row. I love my job.
Kip Curtis, Ph.D.
Founder and Executive Director
The Edible Peace Patch Project
