A project designed to utilize a green space at Watkins Elementary School has turned into the buddings of a fully fledged garden.

Jennifer Taylor, an art teacher at Watkins Elementary and Green Team captain, is only in her second year at the school but is already making a big impact on the school’s garden with a group of students known as the Green Team.

Taylor said she grew up knowing about gardens and landscaping and wanted to beautify the staff garden that had become overgrown with weeds. She also brought a willing attitude to put in the work to make it happen.

“My parents had a greenhouse and landscaping company and I knew what the potential was for the garden but we were going to have to start over from scratch,” Taylor said. “[The school] said that would be great but it would have to start next year.”

Taylor said she was thrust into a leadership role for the garden almost immediately becoming green captain this year. For her, it was also about teaching students about more than plants.

“I didn’t want it to be just about taking care of plants,” Taylor said. “I wanted the students to learn more about the environment and what we can do to help the environment, not just with planting.” 

The Green Team holds weekly meetings on Mondays, said Taylor, where she and students have time to work on the garden. However, she had to contend with weather throughout the semester because of rain canceling days that she could take her students outside.

To join the Green Team, third and fourth graders can apply with Taylor for a spot in a future semester. Watkins Elementary has around 160 third graders and 250 fourth graders but only 20 spots — 10 for each grade — per semester.

For the full story, see the Dec. 14 issue of The Wylie News.