Cherokee Charter Academy Breaks Ground On New Garden

By seventh-grade students Lailah Ramsey Leilani Argueta

CANTON, GA — On a beautiful, spring morning, where the air was crisp and cool and dew was settling massively on the blades of grass, the middle school at Cherokee Charter broke ground on a brand new S.T.E.M. garden with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The ceremony commenced with the middle school band playing a few pieces, Mrs. Wallen, Middle School Science teacher, and Mrs. Wallis cutting the ribbon to the entry gates of the garden.

After the cutting of the ribbon, students were given a grand tour. During the grand tour of the garden, students were flowered with fun and informational facts about the different plants, flowers, and trees that will be planted. “I figured that it may help the students’ moral to keep the garden budding and growing if they had some fun information about what will be planed,” expressed Mrs. Barker. “Besides, it was a great opportunity for students to learn new information!”

The garden, which will soon be burgeoning with radishes, spinach, sunflowers, cosmos, and forget-me-nots will also contain berry bushes and fruit trees. “"I'm really excited about the garden!” exclaimed 8th grader Dallas Webb. “We've been growing radishes, spinach and flowers, and it's really cool to see them grow. I think it will be cool to eat what we've been growing."

Although still under construction, Mrs. Wallen, Middle School Science teacher, is immensely proud of the development and hard work that has been devoted to this project. “We've been working really hard on getting this garden started, and on our S.T.E.M Day, Friday, May 4th, we will be completing the rest of the first phase.” The second phase will not be completed until sometime next school year, which provides for lots of planning.

When asked about future plans for the garden, Mrs. Wallen added that, “Our future plans for the garden include designing and creating a water-catch shed, calculating growth of our plants, and the area and volume of the garden, which helps us incorporate S.T.E.M into every aspect of this project.”

With S.T.E.M at the forefront of the origination of the project, the plans and functions of the garden will also have a meaningful impact on students’ learning and the surrounding community. “Having the garden becomes a project-based learning opportunity to teach organic vs. inorganic, life cycles, weather affects, and ecosystems,” indicates Mrs. Kirby, 6th grade Science teacher. “I hope the garden will inspire the community to get involved with our school once they see the hard work we put into it, and how they can benefit,” says 7th grader Sophia Lauzon.

Principal Wallis feels ecstatic about the possibilities of the garden. “I am excited to see all the planning and preparation that has gone into our middle school community garden come to fruition. This garden is going to be a great opportunity for the students to apply what they are learning in the classroom and connect it to a real-world application.”

Essentially, the monumental opening of the CCA garden has tremendous potential to have a positive impact on students’ learning, especially through S.T.E.M activities. It will also give students real-life applications and have a positive impact on the community. But maybe the best produce of all will be how students will be able to eat what they grow because essentially, you are what you eat!