Garden Club in full bloom

Members of the Meyersdale Middle and High School Garden Clubs worked hard on September 30 to bring some color to the grounds of the school district. Members, including Marcella Dupre, Jase Anderson and Aden Kline, planted colorful mums along various entrances and cleaned out annuals from the flower gardens.

The Garden Club is part of the Personalized Learning Time (PLT) program at the district. PLT is a scheduled time during the school day that empowers students by providing the opportunity for student-initiated learning experiences. The goals of PLT are to foster student-driven learning that both inspires and motivates. The program allows students to select activities that interest them or capture their curiosity.

Comprised of middle and high school students, the Garden Club meets regularly to learn about cultivating their own green thumbs. Completed projects include clearing and preparing the soil for several raised beds located at the rear of the school building. The students harvested tomatoes, as well as seeds for future projects. They used their harvest to prepare a fresh pico de gallo as well as a home-made fresh spaghetti sauce. Superintendent Dr. Tracey Karlie and Mrs. Terri Karlie assisted the group’s advisor, Mrs. Julie Stahl, in the laborious process, teaching the students how to properly mill and prepare the fresh vegetables to be canned.

The Red Raider Garden Club has also assisted the Maple City Garden with their various projects, including planter maintenance throughout the community.