Twenty-two Penhold School grade 4 students helped plant the seeds for a beautiful future at the school last week.
Parents, grandparents, and volunteers joined the students on June 7 to plant over 100 plants on the school’s front yard as part of a class landscaping project.
Grade 4 teacher Kelli Sholdice said while Penhold School is a great place to be, with passionate staff and students filling the school’s interior with warmth, the warmth never extended to the school’s front yard.
“We found that the outside of Penhold School didn’t match the inside, so the kids wanted to do something about it,” she said. “They thought we would plant a few plants and make it nice. We went big.”
The school brought in a landscape designer to speak to the students about landscape design, form and function, and what plants would be appropriate for the area, Sholdice said. The students then created a list of things they felt were important for the space, including an area that allowed students to still walk on the grass, visit with their friends, have lunch, or read quietly.
“They’ve created little spaces where those things can be achieved,” Sholdice explained.
The students partnered up to come up with their own landscape design plan which wouldn’t interfere with existing posts, trees and windows. Sholdice then asked them to pick their favourite element to be incorporated into an overall class design.
“Every single student has a piece of this design,” she said, a large paper version of the design plan laid out on the school’s front walkway behind her.
A number of individuals and businesses, including designers, nurseries and homebuilders, stepped up with donations to ensure the project went ahead. Sholdice said the project would never have been achievable without that assistance.
“Everything has fallen into place perfectly – we haven’t had a single hiccup,” she said. “It’s been awesome.”
Sholdice began the day by showing the students and volunteers how to carefully remove the plants from their pots and plant them in the ground. Small colour-coded flags donated where the plants were to be placed.
Volunteer Floyd Kopp came out to lend a hand to his granddaughter Nikaela, a grade 4 student. Kopp thanked Sholdice after saying it was nice to see the community pitching in.
“She did an awesome job organizing it. The kids are having fun,” he said during a brief break from digging a hole for another plant. “Kudos to her (Sholdice). She’s a real go-getter.”
Sholdice said the school plans to add some benches, rock and boulders to create a naturally-landscaped area once the plants and mulch are in place. The students will then add their initials to a large totem that will eventually be erected in the front yard.
“Eventually the whole totem … will be filled to the top with all of the kids who have contributed to this project,” Sholdice said.
Student Brianna Anderson said she was excited to be taking part.
“I like it, but I think it will look better when all the plants are fully grown,” Anderson, 10, said, explaining that the students learned about the different types of roots, and the function of plants during the program.
Fellow grade 4 student Taylor Yews said students also learned how to care and nurture different types of plants.
“They basically have the same needs we do,” Yews said.
