Fifth-grade Salisbury Elementary School teacher Anita Girvin knows the power of a seed. Working with teaching partner Diane Hemperly, Girvin has founded Girvin's Gardeners, a club made up of 15 fifth- and sixth-grade Salisbury students who give up their lunch block every other Wednesday to learn about plants, business, and how to work together.
During a recent club meeting, Girvin began by discussing the importance of cooperation, which happened to be the Salisbury character trait for April. "Cooperation ... for me that's being able to do more together than by yourself," explained Girvin. "The reason we decided to (set the club) up as a business is so you can work together on committees. Think about how challenging (growing and selling plants) would be without this word cooperation." Girvin then lauded the students for the work they had done selling spring planters, which included tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.
Student Stella explained that during the sale, different committees completed specific tasks. "Some of the committees sold the plants to the school adults," said Stella, who added that the shipping and logistics committee delivered the plants. "I am in customer service," she added. "We make care cards (to provide customers) with care tips on the plants."
Through a connection with Ease The Burden (ETB), a local organization that partners with educators, the club received a grant, as well as supplies from Ken's Gardens. "We help to join the two (Girvin's Gardeners and Ken's Gardens)," said Mindy Williams of ETB. "Our role is to line up businesses that would fit well with Pequea Valley needs," added Lapp, who presented students in the club with T-shirts that read "Girvin's Gardeners."
Part of fulfilling ETB requirements for a grant is focusing on service by giving back to the community, which Girvin's Gardeners is working on through a relationship with Karla Neff, director of Pequea Valley elementary advocacy at The Factory Ministries and head of the Brave Kids Learning Center located in the Together Community Center, where students created decorative planters. Using recycled gallon jugs, the students made winter gardens in which they planted tomatoes and peppers. "I reached out to them and asked if they wanted to hand out seedlings," said Girvin.
According to Stella, the club is not just about gardening. "It's more of a connection with people," she shared. "I find out who really likes plants and enjoys the same things I do."
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