HFHK pursues creative ways to safely garden during COVID

Did you know gardening is a great way to support outdoor learning? While taking appropriate safety precautions, we continue to partner with schools to fill an important community need heightened by the pandemic.

COVID-19 didn’t stop these Springer Middle School Environmental Science students from accomplishing an amazing fall feat while social distancing. From planting arugula to radishes, turnips, lettuce, and chard, these students came to work hard. They planted seed to feed those in need and their fall crops will be donated to local food pantries.

Pleasantville Elementary School Garden

At Pleasantville Elementary, Garden Coordinator Melissa Condit came up with a creative way for her students to stay connected as they watch their garden grow from afar. She and cafeteria staff members planted their garden and she will post pictures/videos on Schoology. Additionally, students and families received a link to request seeds from HFHK to plant at home to watch their vegetables grow along with the school. Students will be encouraged to take photos or videos and upload their Journal Entries weekly to a Garden Journal Schoology page.

Although in-person opportunities with students have been limited, HFHK staff have been working hard to revise our curriculum to align with the Next Generation Science Standards and also to create virtual lessons. Stay tuned for our Spring pilot. COVID-19 has certainly challenged us, but rather than retreat, we’ve pivoted to overcome adversity with these new fall feats!