- Sprouts Academy is put on by Havana Garden Club
- Students in middle school are able to join
- View video above for more
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
I’m Ashley Engle in Havana where I was able to put my apron on and get my hands dirty with some students at Havana Magnet School. These students are in a club that is letting them grow their minds in news skills while also, getting rewarded for their hard work.
Planting new life skills.
“It’s life skills not even realizing that its life skills.”
One seed at a time… It’s called Sprouts Academy.
“Learning how to grow things from a seed, from a bulb, is part of the curriculum we teach them.”
Put on by the Havana Garden Club, after a vision that Havana Magnet School’s Principal Thelma Hickman had for her students.
“So my vision was for the kids to enjoy things outside of school and sprouts academy has been a wonderful was to do so.”
Sprouts Academy has been in session since the beginning of the school year back in September. So far they have about 10 students participating in grades 6th through 8th.
“They’ve blossomed, no pun intended, but they really have become sort of come into themselves as little gardeners.”
The students meet the Garden Club twice a week on campus for 20 minutes learning how to plant flowers, harvest vegetables and make flower arrangements. The skills they learn in those shorts minutes; patience, creativity and how hard work pays off.
Edna Whitehead, the Garden Clubs president has learned these skills the same way their students are during sprouts academy
“I’m a farmers daughter and I realized from my family that you had too learn patience you planted the seed you had to nurture it you had to take care of it and then there came the harvest.”
What was a vision at first to now smiling faces and participation from kids, giving students more skills to use as they get older.
“There is patience and there is a reward for the patience.”
That reward for the kids will be from Havana Garden club’s Spring sale that they will be having in April. The students currently are making flower arrangements that will be sold. All the proceeds they make will go straight to their pockets because part of Sprouts Academy’s motto is ‘hard work, pays off’. In Havana, I’m Ashley Engle, ABC 27.
