The following is an article written by Lynda McDonald’s third-through-fifth grade classes at Guffey Community Charter School
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On Thursday, April 20, the students of Guffey Community Charter School celebrated Earth Day. There were three outdoor activities that the students could partake in. One group helped to convert the unused preschool playground into a garden, another group worked to prepare raised garden beds, and a third group picked up trash around the town. Parents and community members were encouraged to join the students for this action packed day.
Natalie Sardi, the middle school teacher, explained that the fenced in playground area will have three plant beds which will be watered by drip irrigation from the downspouts from the gutters. Herbs and vegetables will be grown as well as some wildflowers to help the pollinators.
“We tried to reuse wood chips and had to pull out aspen saplings and roots,” explained Dominic Cottrell. “We learned teamwork.”
John Barnes noted ow much work went into creating the raised beds, “I dug a rectangle that was 47 inches wide and 57 inches long. I had to measure to figure out how to make the garden bed fit. I had to do a lot of digging and lifting heavy cinder blocks.” Prior to building the raised beds, in math class the students had learned the best shape to minimize perimeter while maximizing area.
Kaiden Barnes worked with the trash pick up crew, “We got the trash from ditches on the sides of the road. We collected two bags full of trash.”
After working outside, the students were treated to a film festival put on by Shawna Crocker of the Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF). Students learned what went into designing a good film as well as different film making techniques. Then they were shown a variety of short environmental films that had been created by other students.
“We learned about pesticides, food waste, and pollution and how to stop them from getting worse,” explained Marius Robinson. “It is imprtant that we compost food to stop methane (green house) gasses which contribute to global warming.”
“I learned a lot about biochar. It is plants’ best friend,” stated John Barnes.
There is still more work to be done. In addition to Thursday’s activities, the middle school class has been growing hydroponic plants. The two vertical hydroponic plant systems were donated to the school by Fork Farms and Juice Plus. Water and nutrients cycle through the plant roots. According to Sardi, the plants grow about three times faster when using the hydroponic system. The students are currently growing lettuce that the school is using for its school lunches as well as donating some produce to the school community. Students are also growing cherry tomatoes to add to their delicious school salads.
“Our garden project looks at natural and environmentally sound ways to nurture the plants we grow. Utilizing local manure and checking and maintaining the nutrients in the soil lead not only to better cro yields but also healthier food production. The math and science involved in this work links abstract computations and measurement to the practical applications needed to ensure a visible and viable end result,” explained Sardi.
“The overall plan for our garden project is to educate students on food sustainability, develop a love of growing food, and see the cycle of life,” added Jacob Sampson, the school’s administrator.
Community involvement is encouraged and greatly appreciated. The community can become involved by donating supplies, time, and ideas. Many of the supplies for Thursday’s project were generously donated by the community. The school is currently hoping to get a compost barrel donated so that the school’s food waste can be used in the gardens.
The day was a huge success. “I learned how to respect the Earth. I want to make the Earth as green as possible,” stated Archer Simmons.
“I had a fun time!” added Maddox Simmons.