Theme: Service Learning
— Helping Kids and Communities Grow
Growing Hope
"A few years ago one of my students was harassed by other
kids for reading a book about an African American," reports
Warren, PA, middle school teacher Mark Davis.
"When I shared this with my ecology club students, they
wondered what they could do to inspire students in our homogeneous
school to appreciate and respect human diversity and develop
better skills for handling problems," he adds. The outcome
of their musings? A vision of a "garden of healing" for
the school and community.
A catalog from the American Forests' Famous and Historical
Trees program pushed students' thinking further. It features
tree seedlings associated with significant events and people
in American history: peacemakers, freedom fighters, and inventors,
for instance. The ecology club's first initiative was to honor
George Washington Carver by planting a green ash seedling descended
from a tree on his laboratory site. "The girls in the
club immediately requested that we also acknowledge inspiring
women," reports Mark. "So we raised more funds to
purchase a red bud tree related to one of Clara Barton's and
a sycamore linked to Susan B. Anthony.
During the next few years, the concept — and the trees — flourished.
With support from a local foundation grant, the healing garden
evolved into five areas to represent good citizenship
and the events and people who have modeled its virtues. These
areas included the Circle of Caring, Circle of Hope, Walk of
New Ideas and Service, and Walk of Courage. Each section honors
people of high ideals and committed service to fellow humans.
The emerging Trail of Peace honors Nobel Peace Prize winners,
the Iroquois Peace Confederacy, and those who walked the Trail
of Tears. So far it features a sycamore honoring Martin Luther
King and white pines representing the Iroquois Federation.
Student-made signs in each section invite those who visit to
reflect on the virtues symbolized by the plantings. For instance,
one sign reads, May all who walk this trail work
toward living in harmony."Since students also wanted
appropriate plants that would offer more immediate beauty,
we created a literal garden of healing by planting native flowers
that early Americans believed induced health," says Mark.
(See below.)
"The garden has given these adolescents some concrete
ways to focus their minds and energy and to consider the virtues
that are vital to a healthy community," notes Mark. "It
has also enabled students and community members to become aware
of what historical figures (including minorities) have done
to help our country grow and heal. Last year, the incoming
fourth graders, who had heard about our garden, made peace
cranes and brought flowers to plant when they visited. In a
very powerful ceremony, we burned the peace cranes and put
the ashes on the flowers in the Trail of Peace," he explains.
American Forests offers a variety of seedlings of famous and
historic trees along with a wealth of historic information
in its catalog (call 800-320-8733).
Garden of Traditional Healing
Flowers
Sunflowers — Used
by Native Americans to make a tea and salve for a range of
ailments.
Butterfly Weed — Used for lung inflammations
and asthma.
Bee Balm — Used as a tea for colds,
stomach aches, and insomnia.
Wild Geranium — Used to stop bleeding,
gum diseases, and diarrhea.
Lavender — Used for flavoring and perfumes.
(Other plants in this garden include black-eyed Susan, New
England aster, purple coneflower, tickseed, lemon mint, and
yarrow.)
© 2008
National Gardening Association