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Imagine you’re running a firefighters’ bucket brigade. But instead of firefighters, you’re working with a dozen giggly 2nd - 5th graders. And instead of water, the buckets are full of fresh compost. Did we mention you’re in the garden at Enderly Heights Elementary School in Buena Vista? Welcome to the Compost & Garden Club!
During Enderly’s Sept/Oct afterschool sessions, Boxerwood educators led students on a journey of hands-on learning and discovery in their own schoolyard. The program was a delight to facilitate, thanks to the enthusiasm and wonder of our club members. They weeded overgrown garden beds, amended the soil with compost created from last year’s school food waste, planted cover crops, and joyfully harvested a few sneaky potatoes from last season. It was a beautiful dance of learning and laughter.
Our young gardeners also reviewed the ins and outs of lunchtime composting. This school year will be Enderly’s second year of composting their cafeteria food waste. (In the video below, students held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their very first load of fresh compost!) As educators, nothing brings us more joy than fostering a love for the environment and a sense of shared responsibility in the next generation.
This afterschool club wasn't just about nurturing plants; it was about nurturing spirits. We could see teamwork blooming as they shared weekly compost reports from the cafeteria, curiosity sprouting as we tended our garden, and a profound respect for our planet taking root.
With our school partners, Boxerwood is planting seeds of eco-consciousness. Every sprout and every giggle is a testament to the value of young hands in shaping our planet's future. We dig it!