Princeton Middle School believes that a school garden can extend the learning from the classroom to the real-world providing hands-on and life-long skills. Students can go beyond the scope of traditional learning by cultivating not only the soil but also their minds. Students will be able to incorporate problem-solving and teamwork skills while growing positive character traits. Students are actively involved at every stage of the program. This includes helping with the design and layout of the garden, determining which vegetables to plant, maintenance, watering, and harvesting the garden. In summer months they have students in summer school (Targeted Services) and students involved in ESY (Extended School Year) attend to the garden. The 6th grade Tiger Club Community Education students also help maintain the garden in the summer. A variety of vegetables are produced and some donated to the high school FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) department for canning. Some produce is used in the middle school to serve students and community members in the summer feeding program offered at the Middle School as well as donating to the Teen Center, local Food Shelf, and Elim home.

For more information contact sarah.marxhausen@isd477.org.