Rays of sunlight are fighting through rainy days and grey clouds to finally bring the sprouting of plants. Along with the start of spring, gardening also makes its entrance.
Gardening has coexisted with humans since civilization. Connecting with nature, giving back, feeding our population and harvesting positivity are all associated with gardening.
From arugula to tulips, it may be hard to choose what to plant. But Ida B. Wells High School’s Garden Club knows what they want.
While they haven’t gotten down to the specifics yet, the club has two main goals for this spring and the future: planting sustainable, efficient plants that give back to the community and teaching about these plants and the importance of gardening.
Emphasizing planting organisms that are native and edible, the Garden Club is working to get their Backyard Habitat Certification. “We’re going to be purchasing only native plants and working with our [neighbors] in the area,” said Elektra Wood, a senior at IBW and Co-President of the Garden Club.
The club aims to plant and harvest plants with longevity and that return annually, such as wild strawberries. “It’s something that ground covers, [they] will come back every year. It’s very established,” said Jackson Unflat, a sophomore at IBW and member of the Garden Club.
The Garden Club initially started with IBW science teacher George Penk, before transferring to an extension of the IBW Leadership program, but became an independent club in 2024. Mainly working at the garden on the north end, they meet during lunch in room 132 on Thursdays and in the spring, they integrate time outside school into the club.
Collaborating with the IBW special education classroom, the garden club is creating a learning experience for special education students with tubs full of dirt, flowers and other sensory plants.
Planned to be on the west end, it will be fit with American Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations. They aim to create a more inclusive garden for special education students and other IBW students alike.
Teaching skills of perseverance, reflection and patience, gardening is beneficial for mental and physical health. “Having the opportunity to go outside and, you know, digging the dirt, stuff like that is nice…it’s great to learn about something in class and then to go outside and have an opportunity to use it,” said Wood.
Community runs deep at IBW, locals in the area stop by the IBW garden and grab produce. “Creating another renewable fruit option, I think, would be very good for building a community and getting people invested in the garden,” said Unflat.
The Garden Club interacts with the neighboring community, too. Borrowing seeds and starters from the Neighborhood House for planting season, they return the favor by donating food and harvest to the house.
Reflecting natural cycles, gardening is about giving back to the earth with regrowth and joy. “I’m involved in trying to make [the garden] a community, a place that people can find and enjoy themselves in that requires maintenance, instead of work,” said Unflat.
