Schools

Boy Scouts Build Vegetable Garden At Wilkinson Elementary

As part of an Eagle Scout project, Alex Ruschau and other Boy Scouts are helping to build a vegetable garden at Wilkinson Elementary School.

Veggies will be easier to come by at this year thanks to some Sarasota Boy Scouts.

Alex Ruschau and other Boy Scout Troop 14 members are spending thier summer building the garden at Wilkinson Elementary as part of Ruschau's Eagle Scout project. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Boy Scouts and requires a project and approval before the ranking can be attained.

The Scouts broke ground in early July, and built raised beds so far. Students are expected to plant in the fall.

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Linda Ayad, a second-grade teacher at Wilkinson, received a grant from to fund tools, seeds and fencing for the garden.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity for an on-site garden at Wilkinson,” said Ayad in a statement. “The students will plant and enjoy their harvest and also use the garden for science activities.”

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Stacy Spriggs, community and school gardens coordinator for the University of Florida/Sarasota County Extension, consulted with Ayad to provide various resources, including potential grants, plans for raised beds and lesson plans related to gardening.

“Help is available for other teachers and community members who are interested in starting and maintaining gardens,” said Spriggs.

She can be reached at 941-861-9815 or sspriggs@scgov.net. More information about school gardens and local resources is available on the web at http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/schoolgarden.shtml.


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