A new food garden at Neil A. Armstrong Middle School has the potential to impact local residents in the Bristol Township community. The garden is made possible thanks to the “Growing Together Garden” grant, written by Sophia Dorman, an eighth-grade student and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS ) member. Erin Dillon, co-advisor of NJHS and English teacher, found out about the NASSP Student Service Grant Program and asked Dorman if she was interested in writing it. The grant program is a national initiative designed to empower student leaders to create service projects in their communities. Members of the NJHS, National Honor Society (NHS) or a student council affiliated with the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) can apply to bring their service projects to life. With help from Principal Ed Dayton, Federal Grants Instructional Facilitator Jessica Festa, and the NASSP Customer Care Representative Carolyn Glascock, Dorman was able to finish the grant within the deadline. In February, Dorman found out she was a $1,000 grant recipient and also received $500 towards her college tuition. She quickly got to work, contacting local landscaping supply companies to request donations and Bristol Township School District’s maintenance department to discuss a fence. NJHS students need ten volunteer hours a year, and about 40 seventh- and eighth-grade students are helping Dorman with the garden. Students started to germinate the seeds in cardboard boxes with wet paper towels and trash bags to help with condensation. The seeds are germinating in science teacher Robyn Gulati’s classroom next to a hydroponic tower. The lights in the tower are also reaching the seeds to support their growth. All the seeds will grow into herbs or vegetables, such as peas, cherry tomatoes, carrots, sweet peppers, green beans, basil, lavender and rosemary. Once the last frost of the season has passed and the seeds have sprouted, students will start planting the 25-foot-by-25-foot garden in front of the middle school. “I’m most excited about the impact on the entire Bristol Township community. Students, especially those who don’t have any vegetables at home, can take some for dinner and learn gardening skills,” said Dorman. “We also want to have community events like Grandparents Day, where different members of the community can visit and pick out food.” Students will use plastic tubs for planting. They also need topsoil and to purchase PVC pipes for the self-watering system, which will evenly disperse water to the roots. Armstrong has not had a garden since before the pandemic, but some older garden tools may still be usable. Crystal Smith-Herman, Assistant Principal of Keystone Elementary School, donated wooden garden tool carriers to NJHS. Students spent one of their meetings assembling the carriers and painting them with designs. Additionally, April Fox, the Verizon Innovative Learning Lab teacher, helped to engrave the names and images of the vegetables and herbs onto wooden plant markers for the garden. A sign for the garden may also be created in the lab. “NJHS students are using Google Forms to practice their organization and technology skills by signing up to water the sprouts before and after school, and take home the sprouts over the weekend,” said Dillon. “Food is such a worry right now, and we are thankful to all the staff and organizations who are helping our garden come to fruition.” “Learning how to grow their own fresh produce is an important skill for students,” she added. Courtesy of Bristol Township School District ...read more read less