The arts can be defined as many different types of things, ideas, and cultivations. Students at Mississippi School of the Arts have cultivated a new idea of the arts by growing green. For the 2016-2017 school year, students created a Garden Club for those interested in growing edible plants in a raised garden bed.
It all started in May of 2015, when Dr. Jeanne Lebow (retired MSA Literary Arts instructor) and Residence Life Assistant Vickie Foster discussed how students could learn several aspects of being able to provide for themselves and enjoy the feeling of knowing they could grow their own food. That aspect came to reality when in July 2016, Food Service Director Cindy King located a grant “Growing Lunch School Garden Grant.” Wal-Mart’s Brookhaven store donated 2 cases of starter pots, bags of garden soil, and mulch.
In the spring of 2017, students grew English peas, green beans, and bell peppers. This fall, plants consisted of broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, onions, mixed green lettuce, Chinese cabbage, and regular cabbage. The vegetables were recently prepared by Ms. Foster and served to the members of the Garden Club.
“I emphasized to the students the full educational aspect of how to help themselves as well as others without depending solely on commercial produced foods. Each student has showed much interest in the aspect of being independent as well as being aware of how harmful synthetic fertilizer can be to the human body.” said Foster
Members of the 2017-2018 garden club includes Daria Fisher, Darby Phillips, Lydia Taylor, Jade Love, Camden Dixon, Fakeria Thomas, Jailyn Newell, Jaden Denson, and Kendarius Sterling.