Back to school, in the garden: young thumbs are turning green all over the West - Garden; children's gardening program at Mary Woodward Elementary School, Tigard, Oregon - Brief Article

Sunset, Sept, 2003 by Steven R. Lorton

Excitement runs high on the Saturday after Mother's Day at Mary Woodward Elementary School in Tigard, Oregon. That's the day of the School Carnival and Annual Plant Sale. Parents who attend go home with blooming geraniums: or petunias, plus a sense of pride in all that their budding gardeners have grown from scratch.

While many schools and community organizations in Oregon and beyond have started such children's gardening programs, the program at Woodward (kindergarten through fifth grade) is on the cutting edge. Indeed, the school grounds are a living laboratory used by 33 classes. The facilities include an ornamental garden, raised beds, a potting pavilion, a greenhouse, and a composting area. Teacher Jo Barendse coordinates the program, but parents help keep it running by donating more than 16,000 hours of their time each year.

A program like this succeeds for three reasons. First, it enjoys the support of the whole school community, including the faculty, the principal, and parents. Second, the program is woven into the standard science curriculum.

Finally, it is self-supporting; it is funded independently of the school district's budget. To raise money, some schools conduct plant sales or seek private contributions. At Mary Woodward Elementary School, the plant sale raises between $3,000 and $5,000. To get ready for it, students follow the steps listed at left.

A National Gardening Association website, www.kidsgardening.com, offers tips to parents and teachers on organizing school programs, plus a directory of 1,400 school gardens.