PenDragon - the official magazine of Lyford Cay International School PenDragon Vol 2, Spring 2016 | Page 20

Growing Connections
A Day in the School Garden
By Nina Cristiano, Grade 11 Student
It is Wednesday morning.
The scent of green leaves,
rich tomatoes and basil
wafts on the breeze, as
Elementary
Learning
Centre families head to
class. The ground is a
jungle of intertwined vines
forced upward with the
weight of carefully growing
vegetables, a beautiful
array of mixed greens, kale, arugula, basil and
wildfire lettuce, all exposed to powerful yet pleasing
rays of sunshine. Deep beneath their roots, the soil
holds families of earthworms collectively making the
nutrients that make our soil rich. Birds have a view of a
colourful garden, home to many insects that only add
to the diverse wildlife of this environment. Lyford Cay
International School (LCIS) holds a special place for
the Ecology Club garden and sets a powerful example
of good health and environmental best practice.
Today, the Pre-K students visit the garden, coming to
engage in exciting activities, to immerse themselves
in a green environment and to understand one of the
real pleasures in life: gardening. The young students
interact with the greenery and plant seeds themselves.
They enjoy watering the plants, a wonderful hands-on
experience to support their education in the life cycle
of living things. Students often taste the leaves of
the plants and learn more about vegetables through
observing the whole plant in its natural state. This
not only develops their knowledge of living things, but
encourages students to be analytical and to make
connections with what they have learned within the
walls of their classroom. More often than not, students
request this miniature field trip. “Can we please do
this everyday?” asks one student. For many, it is their
favourite part of the day, being encouraged to interact
with their surroundings, to consider the importance of
caring for the environment, and being provided with
powerful lessons in health and wellness.
It is now midday. Leaves are taken from stems,
packaged into containers -- reused on a weekly basis
-- and prepared for sale. Under the fingertips of the
entire club, the packaging of the produce is when the
excitement begins. The group comes together with
pride in their product and the knowledge that one small
act can make a big difference. The produce is sorted
by type and size, which dictates price. Today’s harvest
yields a healthy 20 boxes of arugula, mixed greens and
basil to be enjoyed by customers throughout the school.
The time is now 3.10pm. The produce is set up near
the shade of the green pavilion’s massive tree and
prepared to be sold to those who crave a healthy dinner.
Basil sells out almost immediately; Arugula and mixed
greens are also very popular. Within 30 minutes, Eco
Club members walk the campus with what produce
remains, in search of further sales. Within a few hours,
all families come to enjoy their delicious and nutritious
meals, brought especially to them by the LCIS Ecology
Club. The garden sale is mutually beneficial: the club
and its wares are good for the school community, and
club members are happy to supply produce from what
they consider their dream assignment.
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