April 2001
Sanchez Gardening Camp
During the Sanchez intersession, AmeriCorps members sponsored a gardening camp. Selected second- and third-grade classes were invited to attend. As the students came into gardening camp each day, they played garden vocabulary memory and listened to read-alouds on plants, seeds, and creating your own garden.
The first day, the students learned firsthand the importance of tilling the land by digging and weeding their own personal plot. Then the second day, students planned the layout of the garden and each planted a package of flower seeds. The final day of camp, our diligent workers planted previously potted marigolds, posies, and forget-me-nots.
The camp also contained many scientific experiments with such pressing concerns as, "Can a plant survive with only Dr. Pepper to drink?" and "What happens if you place celery in colored water?" To finish each day, the students painted clay planting pots, decoupaged vases, and made books about gardening. Each student was then given a potted vegetable to take home to start their own garden.
The camp was a roaring success for everyone involved and our sentiments were best summed up by a student who said, "Can't we have gardening camp every day?" Special thanks to Mrs. Leftwich for lending us her gardening tools and to Ms. Flores for sharing her gardening space.
—Joanna Champaigne