While our school can boast many different commodities, including large football fields, giant murals, and senior walls, one thing it does not have is a school garden.

However, when concerned parent Monica Russ learned of the Whole Foods healthy food promotion called Whole Kids, which finances school gardens and encourages healthy eating, she informed the school about this opportunity.

The baton was handed to the PTSA as well as biology teacher Jennifer Holah and ESOL teacher Maureen Becker.

“I’m hoping just to start a small school garden,” Holah said.

Holah is a major planner of the garden and is very excited for its conception, saying that she has wanted one for a very long time. Not only will it be good for the school’s image and providing delicious vegetables, but also for use within classes.

“I do hope we can incorporate it in during the day and in doing some lessons,” Holah said.

The garden will not become a resource solely for science classes, however. Holah hopes to get the art departments to participate with the garden.

“I want to see if the art department can make birdhouses,” Holah said.

Another department Holah wants to cooperate with is the culinary arts department, which could possibly use the garden produce for their meals.

“If we can make it work then it would be a fantastic thing,” culinary arts teacher Cynthia Stowers said. “It will make sense if we grow plants we can harvest in the fall and spring.”

 The garden will officially begin Sept. 22-23 and stakes will be placed into the ground. All students are more than welcome to join the effort, and will receive community service hours for their time.