Washington Primary School is embarking on a green thumb initiative that will help teach students about the environment, conservation and the life cycle of plants.
“Washington Primary School is excited to continue our ‘learning through agriculture program’ this year,” Principal Michelle Richards said. “This initiative gives our students the opportunity to incorporate literacy and mathematics into science and social studies.”
The program is a hands-on learning experience for Washington students. “They are able to select vegetables that thrive in this region of the world to plant,” Dr. Richards said. “The plant cycle is brought to life when the students are able to plant seeds, watch them grow into seedlings and transplant them into our Washington vegetable garden.”
To support the initiative, Washington School received twin grants in the amount of $1,124 each from the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cornell University.
“Throughout the year, our students will learn the steps to maintaining a vegetable garden by weeding and fertilizing the soil,” Dr. Richards said. “Volunteers and faculty from the Cornell Cooperative Extension program will provide student-centered instruction to our students. We are excited to have botanists and farmers work with our students. This year, most of our instruction will be virtual. The experience is life changing.”
This will mark the first year of Washington partnering with the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District.
“We extend a huge thank you to parent volunteer. Donna Alberico and Washington reading teacher Jeffrey Dicker for spearheading the grant process,” Dr. Richards said. “This project would not be possible without the generous donations from Cornell University and the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District.”