The Future Farmers of America, FFA, has begun a new project: a pollinator’s garden. This garden will teach students how to plant native plants and the impact it has on wildlife according to Phyllis Stair, a community volunteer, master naturalist and master gardener.
Gardens are reported to grow stronger communities and environments. With an improvement in physical and psychological health being linked to community gardens according to BMC Public Health’s research article, this plan is set to help educate Rogers and its student body.
“The garden is meant to create something beautiful with the RHS community, and help the environment by growing native plants high in pollen for butterflies, bees, and other pollinating insects,” said Samantha Olden,12, historian of the FFA.
To keep this program neat and organized the FFA needs plenty of volunteers willing to donate their time for this beautiful addition to the campus.
“Whether it’s students or staff I would love to see everyone participate in this,” said Logan Teague, 12, FFA president. “It will bring our school to a positive light and help give opportunities to students who are looking for community service or just want to be more involved in their school.”
Kayla Lester, FFA advisor, and Dan Caley, Rogers public school facility director, are guiding the project along with anyone interested in lending a helping hand to their community.
“I feel that we need more people to help our world to be a better place for our future, our children,” Lester said.
This design is set to be finished in the spring in time for the first round of planting, but this project will be a year-round responsibility of maintenance and plant rotation.
“With how our progress is going, we have this project set to take around 7-9 months, but we are also hoping this is a year-round project to be taken care of for years to come,” said Saria Matute,12, reporter of the FFA.
This project will bring many new opportunities to RHS students, and serve as a fun and interactive learning environment.
“What inspires me is the fact that even once we all have graduated we leave something behind that will hopefully last a long time,” said Duncan Harrington, 12, junior advisor of the FFA.
