New Vision students teach second-graders gardening
<p>From left to right, Mullan Trail Elementary second graders Katelyn Mucciaccio, Rayeen Bryant and Tommy Reed inspect ladybugs on Monday on plants grown by New Visions High School students.</p>
<p>New Visions High School junior Skyler Boyd explains to Mullan Trail Elementary School second-graders on Monday the importance of ladybugs for plants. The elementary school students visited New Visions to learn about the process of greenhouse growing.</p>
<p>Mullan Trail Elementary School students Zachary Kersey leans in for a closer look at a ladybug as classmate Thomas Wright watches on Monday at the greenhouse at New Visions High School. The elementary school students were visiting the high school to learn about the process of greenhouse farming and how the New Vision students grow plants.</p>
<p>Mullan Trail Elementary School second graders listen to New Visions High School student Seth Pullam explains on Monday the process of growing plants in a greenhouse, from seedling to full maturity. The high school is selling plants to the public this Saturday for one dollar per plant in order to raise funds for the school's greenhouse project.</p>
<p>Mullan Trail Elementary School students and their teachers explore the greenhouse at New Visions High School on Monday.</p>
POST FALLS — Mullan Trail Elementary School second-graders were most excited Monday morning about the ladybugs in the New Vision High School greenhouse. Students in New Vision teacher Kim Herndon’s greenhouse class explained the importance of the little bugs.
They start as babies, then grow up to be bigger, the high schoolers explained. They eat aphids, which are nasty bugs that eat plants.
Students in the high school’s greenhouse class have been taking care of the greenhouse since January. The class fixed the greenhouse where it was needed, took inventory of the plants and bought soil and new seeds. The class has planted and cared for thousands of plants including herbs, peppers, tomatoes and flowers.
On Monday, the students got to show off their hard work to the second-graders. They took them through the greenhouse, showed them how to transplant plants as they grow and gave them a brief history of how the greenhouse started.
Some of the high school students said they were nervous to give the presentation, but it was worth it in the end.
“If one of them is interested in gardening or growing plants, it’s cool to know we could have helped them become more interested,” said Naomie Mellick, a sophomore.
The high school students were familiar with some of the second-graders because the greenhouse class helped Mullan Trail Elementary students plant their own gardens earlier in the year.
According to the presentation by the greenhouse class, the greenhouse was built in 1994 by New Vision students. They received a $10,000 grant for building and planting materials. Now, the greenhouse class maintains and operates it.
When asked who was going to bring their families to the sale, almost all of the second-graders' hands shot eagerly into the air.
“It’s really neat to see our kids work with the younger kids,” Herndon said. “It’s nice to get them out of the classroom and involved with the community.”
Part of the greenhouse class is geared toward leadership and responsibility. Herndon has three returning students each year, who are greenhouse supervisors. They are responsible for training new students, and rotating and watering plants.
Next year, one of Herndon’s students will be taking the class for a third time. Katie Ness will be an assistant manager for the greenhouse, helping to order plants and seeds and create a planting schedule.
“I want to get her more involved in the managerial aspect of things,” Herndon said.
“I really want to do it,” Ness said. “I really like this class because it gets you out of the classroom and it gives you a sense of pride.”
Every spring at the Seeds for Change sale, the class sells the plants it has grown. All proceeds fund the next year’s costs. This year’s sale will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 7, at New Vision High School. All plants will be $1.
“This class gives you a sense of pride,” Mellick said. “People outside of New Vision, they think we’re trouble kids, so this is a way to prove them wrong.”