Jones Elementary (JES) students are rolling up their sleeves to create a garden. October 3, Stacy Landry’s kindergarten class planted a variety of vegetables using the Cylinder Gardening Program, which requires little time and gardening experience. Through the program, students learn to grow from seed to harvest in one school semester using a five-gallon bucket. Once the seeds are planted, students monitor and water the vegetables on a daily basis.

“I think this is important because learning through experience is so much more impactful than anything I could teach them in the classroom, especially at this age,” said Landry.

Along with JES, other Waller ISD (WISD) campuses will participate in the gardening program during the fall semester.

“The hope is to expand this program to the entire district,” WISD Science Coordinator Kathy Eckermann said. “We want to provide students with more learning experiences outside of traditional classrooms every year.”

The Cylinder Gardening Program is offered by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Harris County Master Gardener Association. Their research shows that by growing plants children learn about science and the environment, while also developing a sense of pride and responsibility. As part of the program, they provide classes with all materials and instructions needed for the project.