Pershing Elementary begins to attract pollinators
The Pershing Elementary garden is growing into a lively educational space for students and the nearby community. The garden is fairly new, but it is full of exciting opportunities! The space is set aside for students to get outside and learn through hands-on experience, while also taking home the produce they grow. The Pershing outdoor space includes a new pollinator garden, three raised beds, and an outdoor seating area. The Nebraska Wildlife Federation funded the pollinator garden and provided training for staff last school year. Erin Owens, the CLC Coordinator and Garden Champion, commented on the educational component of a garden sharing that she is excited for the students to learn how to use their new composter. The elementary students are learning math, science, and more through their involvement in different components of the garden.
Pershing’s new pollinator garden is just beginning to grow!
There are also tree stumps and a bench that can be used as outdoor seating so the space can be utilized as an outdoor classroom. This past year, the school garden club used the raised beds to their advantage by exploring the garden during their meeting times. Owens expects more involvement in the garden space as it continues to grow stating, “During this next school year I suspect many clubs will utilize the garden as well as classrooms’ spending time in the garden!”
Funding for the garden is done primarily by the Pershing CLC program through inter-local grants. The CLC core program aims to keep the garden in shape, but Pershing also has a Master Gardener volunteer. Master Gardeners are trained garden experts that can help schools with garden maintenance efforts and share their knowledge with community members. The Pershing Master Gardeners are from the Nebraska Extension program, and they are overseeing the Pershing Garden Club. The students of Pershing Elementary are experiencing hands-on education through the outdoor space that has been curated by those who have a passion for getting students outdoors.
Updated October 15, 2019
