First and Ninth Graders Plant Circle W Garden

Throughout the year, the ninth graders teamed with local municipalities in collecting recycled materials to cultivate the rich soil that would be needed for the fruits and vegetables and Kelly Clark's Upper School Designing Solutions class even provided input on how to construct composting bins.  With the garden beds prepared, the team of first and ninth graders began planting for a pumkin patch and a harvest of tomatoes, broccoli, peas, squash, lettuce and corn.

"[This] raises an awareness for them—during this time of rising fuel costs—of how far their food has to travel to get to them," said Jim Newman, Humanities teacher, Ninth grade Class Dean and advisor of the Circle W project.

"From that point of view, we’re hoping that the impact on the environment will be less with what we're able to produce."

Newman said that he hopes the Upper School dining hall will be able to use the fruits and vegetables produced, adding that some of it could be donated to area hunger centers or sold at organic farmers' markets.