From staff reports
A partnership between Sea Island Garden Club and Coosa Elementary has allowed students to learn how food comes from the ground to the table. And they’ve been able to share their experiences and knowledge with their families.
During the spring of 2012, 37 Coosa Elementary teachers, staff, and cafeteria workers volunteered to complete Clemson University Extension’s course and workshop, School Gardening for SC Educators. Participants learned the basic horticultural skills necessary to start and maintain a school garden. The Garden STEM Curriculum for a garden classroom for K-8 was provided as well as workshop supplies, lessons, and activities to engage the students and school personnel.
In September 2022, Sea Island Garden Club partnered with Coosa Elementary to help fund parts of the Junior Master Gardner Program for 4th graders. Additionally, the school wanted to expand the program to include raised beds and an outdoor learning classroom which would include a garden and orchard. The program has expanded to include grades K-8.
In spring of 2023, Sea Island Garden Club, along with Coosa Elementary School, applied for the state’s Children’s Gardens and Youth Gardening Education Grant in the amount of $1,000. The grant was awarded to this program and the funds will provide materials for more hands-on experiences as well as provide funds to expand and maintain the current gardens and orchard.
Gordon Ivey, a former student at Coosa Elementary, constructed the raised beds for the school garden as his Eagle Scout Project in March 2021. And Ivey will attend Camp Wildwood this summer as the Sea Island Garden Club camper for 2023.
