He notices that when his students are outside, they quiet down and smile – “You can tell they are in a happy place,” he says. The students use their hands, or a trowel, depending on their comfort level. Some are more tactually defensive, while others love the texture and softness of the celosia’s brilliant ‘rooster comb’ plumes and dangling sweet potato vines. “Their expressions say it all. They like the fragrance of the herbs, sage, and mint -- sometimes basil is too strong, and their faces will scrunch up,” he says. “Spending time outside helps with their whole school day. They come back inside calmer and more focused."
He begins growing plants and vegetables for the next spring season in the classroom. “I set up my students in an assembly line -- one separates the six packs, the next pokes a hole in the bottom of each one, and as they pass it down, they add soil, drop in the seed, and water. In the spring, we transplant the seedlings out to the raised beds and care for them outside. This year, the class grew vegetables, including peppers, tomatoes, purple beans, swiss chard, romaine, kale, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini squash, and lots of okra, as well as herbs and flowers. Combined with the other growing areas on the property, Overbrook grew 900 pounds of produce this year. “What doesn’t sell on the produce cart or get used in the kitchen is donated to the Upper Darby Food Bank,” says Stough.
Stough is looking forward to the opportunity to grow the gardening program with the addition of their new net-zero greenhouse and the Horticultural Therapist now on staff. “The administration and teachers are very supportive, and as time goes on, the importance of horticulture in the curriculum will grow.”
The PHS Green City Teachers course was the perfect way to begin,” he says. “I got to talk to some very knowledgeable gardeners, and the energy and wisdom from PHS staffer Sally McCabe were very engaging. She made it a lot of fun,” says Stough.
