8
April 8, 2014
catholic schools
CATHOLIC EDUCATION INSPIRES
St. Justin
Girl Scouts
create vegetable
garden to serve
community
St. Justin ‘Garden Gals’ near raised beds in parish garden where vegetables will be grown
(l-r) Olivia Bui, Jaida Marinas, Kristen Lok and Alexia Margarit.
Four St. Justin School (Santa Clara)
seventh graders from Girl Scout Troop
61414 have planned and built a Community Garden as their Silver Award
Project.
These “Garden Gals” (Olivia Bui,
Kristen Lok, Alexia Margarit and Jaida
Marinas) met with parish and school
staff to ask how they could help their
community. It was suggested they
develop an unused area of the parish
property into a Community Garden.
After researching gardens in the
local community, the girls presented
their proposal to parish leaders. It had
two objectives:
• provide a source of fresh vegetables
for parish Community Ministry Food
Pantry clients;
• provide an outdoor classroom
that offers hands-on learning, life skills
including teamwork, volunteerism,
leadership and community, and an opportunity to serve the poor.
A requirement is that the project be
sustainable after the girls leave school.
The “Garden Gals” also presented
their project to the Rotary Club of Santa
Clara and received a $1,000 grant to help
build the garden.
On the first of two work days, the
raised beds were constructed, then, with
help from families and friends, the 10
huge raised beds were filled with layers of pea gravel, compost and top soil.
Food grown and harvested by the
students is part of their science curriculum and will support families who
come to St. Justin Community Ministry
for food assistance. Honorary bricks
are being sold which will be installed at
the entrance of the garden. Additional
funds will support the Community
Ministry Food Pantry.
MAKE THIS
SUMMER COUNT
WITH THE INSTITUTE FOR CATHOLIC
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
SummerWest 2014
Led by Director Steve Katsouros, S.J.
Session I: June 1