Students at Morning Star School Maintain Community Garden

In the past year, tomatoes, okra and radishes have begun sprouting off East Linebaugh, a stone's throw from Interstate 275.

Their origin is an unlikely source: a community garden behind Morning Star School. Students and school officials have been helping maintain the garden since the Catholic school for special needs children was awarded a $10,000 grant last year from Scotts Miracle-Gro for the project.

A replanting day will be held on March 24, and school officials are hoping members of the community can donate time - or money - to continue the project. Meanwhile, Scotts Miracle-Gro is accepting grant applications for schools nationwide through Feb. 24.

Principal Eileen Daly said the project's long-term effects are already evident.

"I think we've started to eat a little healthier," she said. "We have a picnic at the end of the year. Now, we have veggies with our hotdogs and hamburgers ... the kids have taken pride in how their school looks."

***

Morning Star School was founded in 1958, and has about 70 students, Daly said. They range in age from 6 to 16 in grades one through eight. The classes are small and structured, with individualized curriculum.

Students have learning disabilities or have been diagnosed with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Daly said.

In January 2011, Daly was approached by a school board member who was on the board of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful - the local Keep America Beautiful affiliate - who had found the grant.

The grant was part of the Grassroots Grants program at Scotts Miracle-Gro, which unveiled community gardens across the country at nonprofit organizations and schools like Morning Star, said Janelle Huelsman, spokeswoman for the company.

The grant required the school chosen to put in an edible garden or green space. After being notified that her school received the money, Daly brainstormed ideas with officials at TBB and Scotts Miracle-Gro.

In February, parents and volunteer groups such as the Boy Scouts and Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring did preliminary planning of the butterfly garden and flower beds. Officials at TBB helped Daly figure out what vegetables and herbs would work in Florida. They avoided most fruits because of fruit flies, but tried their hand at corn and various herbs.

On March 1, local officials and a representative from Scotts Miracle-Gro came to the school, naming the space, "Unity Garden."

"There were learning stations for the children to plant their garden, and learn about recycling, rain barrels and composting," said Daly. "It was like an amazing field trip right here on our campus."

Daly wanted to make sure the garden work would be part of the student's curriculum, so a class period was selected for the kids to measure plant growth and check on their plants every two weeks.

"They (the kids) were so excited," she said. "It was very cool to watch things grow, like corn."

During the summer months, board members and families came out to help keep the garden maintained.

To raise money for their first replanting day in October 2011, the school held a fundraiser where kids could pay $1 to wear whatever they wanted for a day instead of their usual uniforms. A parent also donated money, Daly said, which was used to put new plants in the butterly garden and plant new vegetables in the edible garden.

Pat Deplasco, community education liaison for Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, said Morning Star was a good fit for the program.

"We knew of a need at Morning Star," she said. "We pulled in Lowe's, who donated thousands of dollars of materials, plants, flowers, veggies, seeds and tools."

Deplasco said the project has been beneficial for the school's students, opening the door for them to try new things.

"We are really excited about the fact that we are able to do this," she said. "Hands-on learning is the best way to learn."

For a grant application for the Scotts Miracle-Gro program, click here or call Huelsman at 614-383-1627. To contact Morning Star School to volunteer for the replanting on March 24, or to donate to the community garden, call the school at 813-935-0232.