Students and staff at Sheehy Elementary in Merced will soon begin building their own school garden, thanks to a generous donation.
Big Creek Lumber delivered supplies to the campus on Tuesday, including enough redwood planks to build two large garden beds. The kit also included 10 bags of soil courtesy of Sun Land Garden Products and tools courtesy of Orgill.
Second graders and their teachers helped to unload the supplies and are now looking forward to starting the construction process. Administrators say it’s a great opportunity to provide hands-on learning for the children. They will use science, math, and engineering skills to build and grow their garden, while also focusing on healthy eating, teamwork, and responsibility.
Principal Sergio Mendez adds, “We really appreciate Big Creek Lumber for this donation. It’s going to assist our students with their academics as well as their social-emotional development. There’s nothing like having a project that we can work on together to develop life skills.”
Sheehy submitted an application for the supplies in the fall and was one of ten schools across California selected this year.
Big Creek Lumber Marketing Manager Michelle Overbeck Webb says, “This is the fourth year that we have done our formal school garden bed grant program. Watching the excitement in kids’ eyes as they receive the grants is the highlight of my job.”