Last April this was the scene at Ramona Elementary. This is simple. The kids got a lot out of it, growing, learning, experiencing and creating life from dirt and seeds.
We want to do this again, start a winter crop, and since my son is now graduated from Ramona and now at Joseph Stillwell Middle School, I've been approached by people there who came to know what I did at Ramona and want to develop two center courtyards. One courtyard will be used for a study atrium and nature center, and the other for growing food and flowers like we did at Ramona.
You are reading this because we, the teachers and I, want your help in bringing this wonderful experience to the kids.
Last year at Ramona, Fred's on Normandy, Ace Hardware on Blanding, Home Depot on Lane, and Lowes at Lenox and Cassat gave over a thousand dollars worth of soil, tools, seeds, plants, and things we needed to make our garden grow.
We need donations of plants, some garden tools, seeds, potting soil, and even your time if you are willing to give it, to bring the "experience" of how life grows to kids who only read about it in books. Last year, at Ramona, Cara Tomasino, Jessie Pomeroy, and I taught children everything from the hydrosphere, to what their carbon footprint was, to the importance of conservation, to how the history of man has held changes in how we farm, use the land, even to think about their futures and where they're going.
I'm asking you on behalf of our kids, and the world they will inherit, to do whatever you can to help us build a garden at Stillwell and continue the garden at Ramona. Winter crop seedlings, a used roto-tiller, winter crop seeds and pots, potting soil, and some basic yard tools are needed for both locations, and hardy LOCAL NATIVE plants are first choice for the study garden at Stillwell. Crape Myrtles, Small trees, fruit and citrus and palm trees, rare or exotic plants are all welcome, perhaps even a small coy pond down the road, where fish and turtles can swim, and children can see habitat in a controlled setting, sit under a tree and read and study, and be instructed in a setting other than a classroom.
If they learn respect for life and nature, respect for society and each other will be an easier lesson to learn.
I will update this site if and when any account is created for simple donations, but until then Mr. Powell at Stillwell or Cara Tomasino at Ramona can be contact persons for plant and material donations, or myself by linking to my email or calling 781-9473.
Skotstar@yahoo.com is my email link and address.
If you want to link back to the other site here...
Thanks,
Skot David Wilson
