Harrison Elementary Revitalizes Herb Garden With Community Support
Posted
Staff Report-
Harrison Elementary Environmental Club was the recipient of the Warsaw Kohl's AIA Grant Program. Harrison’s E-Club, with the help of Lee Ann Miner, Title 1 teacher at Harrison, and Deb McClintock, second-grade teacher and E-Club sponsor, applied for the grant to help rehabilitate an old multi-sensory herb garden. Five volunteers from the Warsaw Kohl's store came to Harrison to help dig out overgrown plants, bricks from the old Leesburg School and lots of weeds to get the herb garden started again. Kohl’s AIA team members included Kim, Karen, Heather, Becky and Romona, according to a press release from Warsaw Community Schools. Last names of the Kohl’s employees were not provided. Along with all of their hard work, they donated $1,500 to help finish off the project. The purpose of the project is to enhance the use of the vegetables from the already-established raised-bed gardens that were installed last summer through a grant from KREMC. This last fall, students in all of Harrison's classes were given the opportunity to snack on fresh vegetables grown in the gardens. Adding fresh herbs offered to the students will give them a new reason to try some of their discovered favorites and try different vegetables in a new way, according to the press release. Each grade level has been given a portion of the gardens. The grade levels are invited to decide what type of vegetable is planted and to help plant the vegetables that they choose. The students in Harrison's E-Club participate in planting, harvesting and distributing the vegetables. The members also are offered the opportunity to help care for the gardens during the summer months. Also working on the project and giving expert advice were members of the Town and Country Garden Club; Toshiko Gunter, Master Gardener; and Peggy Stover, member and Harrison's computer technician. Harrison staff also added their support, including: Jo Burden, speech services; Pam Brail, second grade; Deb Wiley, second grade; Susan Ramsey, fourth grade; Stacey Mehlberg, special services; Lee Snider, principal; Judy Kinsey, retired fourth-grade teacher. Kerry Stover and Scott McClintock were also there pitching in to help.
