Kindergarteners planted flowers for Brookwood’s garden ribbon cutting

A student from each kindergarten class planted a flower or pumpkin seed in the new garden.

Brookwood Elementary School’s new garden will serve as an outdoor classroom for students and teach them about life cycles, plants and pollinators in their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) classes.

The school held a ribbon cutting with kindergarten students because it coincides with their unit, “Living Things and Life Cycles.”

Ashley Crowell, executive director of BC Cares Educational Foundation, applied for a grant to provide the resources to make this garden happen. She built the garden beds, and purchased the bird bath and tools required to care for the garden.

After remarks from Principal Austerberry and Crowell, Austerberry cut the ribbon to open the garden and the kindergarteners celebrated by singing a song. STEAM teacher Ryan Bowen assisted a student from each kindergarten class to plant a flower or pumpkin seed. Once the seven new seeds were planted and watered, fourth-grade students helped kindergarteners plant flowers into small cups to take home.

Brookwood students can now visit the garden, help tend to the plants and make observations. They will also be able to sign up to care for the garden for a week at a time over summer break.

Ultimately, Brookwood hopes to continue to expand the garden and continue to integrate plants that support pollinators.