Students at Wekiva Children’s Academy (WCA) are getting their hands dirty... in a good way! Thanks to the school’s recent installation of three custom-built, raised flower and garden beds, WCA kids are mastering the gardening process from beginning to end and even trying their little hands at some garden-to-table dining.
The outdoor learning actually begins indoors, where students watch their tiny seeds sprout in small containers and learn about the science involved. They then take the short field trip to the flower beds to plant and tend their crops until harvest time. So far, WCA kids have grown lettuce, corn, green peppers, cucumbers, okra, tomatoes, parsley, collard greens, cauliflower, and cantaloupe. Taste tests of freshly-picked items are a hit, and most days you’ll find some of the academy’s school-age children making their own fresh-from-the-garden salad as part of their afternoon snack.
“Children are learning gardening skills, growing their own food, and they’re discovering how doing so positively affects our environment and their bodies,” says Shera Poutree, WCA’s director and owner. “They are receiving real-life, hands-on experience.”
Through developmentally appropriate teaching practices, Wekiva Children’s Academy focuses on whole-child learning while providing a safe, loving, and enriched environment for children, parents, and teachers. Schedule a tour – and sample some deliciously homegrown fruits and veggies! – today.