BEA's Green Thumbs Junior Garden Club is registered with the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (click on picture for link to FFGC website) and supported by the Bartow Garden Club. Students meet several times each year on Wednesdays after school from 2:45 - 3:30 p.m., to help with maintenance and projects in the outdoor classroom. Students in grades 2 - 5 may come without a parent and younger students are welcome but must have a parent with them. All parents of participating students are welcome to join their child in any Junior Garden Club activity. Check with the monthly school calendar for the schedule and note that no club activities are held on any early release day.
Two members of the junior garden club harvest hydroponic cabbage. The largest cabbage was a whopping 9 lbs.! Some cabbages were grown from seed and some donated by Bonnie Plant Farms.
Students participated in the Blooming Arts Festival after a parent volunteer from FIPR (Florida Institute of Phosphate Research) and the garden club met with students to learn about floral design and arrangment.
BEA students in the junior garden club help maintain the garden by providing some of the care that is needed such as removing or planting plants, propagation, pulling weeds, cleaning the pond, composting and watering plants. Students also learn about life cycles of plants and animals, habitats, hydroponics, good bugs/bad bugs and many other topics related to gardening. Please see the monthly BEA calendar for the schedule. Parents are encouraged to attend and participate with your school age child in second - fifth grades.
CAMPERSHIP AWARDS
The Bartow Garden Club sponsored two of our students at the week long environmental nature camp at Wekiwa Springs State Park. Camp Wekiva is sponsored by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs and is open to 3rd - 8th graders. The two students receiving the $200 campership awards for 2014 are Sara G. and Sam L.. Sam has been awarded a 2nd year campership award so a BIG Congratulations to Sam!
One of our former 5th graders, Hannah K., attended this year for her 2nd summer and Hannah's mom, Kate, volunteered for her second year in the Nature Program for third graders. What great families and students we have at BEA!
Many, many thanks to the all the ladies and supporters of the Bartow Garden Club for the student campership award for 2014 and 2015.
Contact Mrs. Hughes at [email protected]