High School for Health Professionals (HSHP) is proud to have been able to receive a $10,000 grant through cooperative effort between United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), South Carolina Food Connection Community Garden Initiative.

As a result of the project, student participants were able to:

• learn how to grow, harvest, and prepare fruits and vegetables, which can lead to healthier eating habits.
  
  
• Acquire hands-on learning
  
  
• provide an experiential learning environment that encourages students to explore and reason independently.
  
  
• Support students physically well-being, which can lead to academic success.
  
  
• develop better working relationships with peers and teachers and improve group learning and teamwork.
  
  
• develop a sense of empathy and empowerment.
  
  
• Increase exposure to Vitamin D, and the weight-bearing exercise of gardening is good for bones and the heart.

The students, staff and community were so excited about launching the 1st year of the “A Basil in

Thyme” garden. The garden project has been maintained by our Garden Club under faculty advisement of Mrs. Luevera Caesar and Mrs. Faith Beryl.

The HSHP Principle, Christey Smith-Galloway is a master gardener. Her technical assistance with the garden included provided plants for the garden and instructions for the right growing season.

Several meetings were held various times throughout the garden season on both Mondays and Wednesdays to discuss garden activities to include both management and volunteer scheduling.

Garden participants were able to successfully produce chemical free fruits and vegetables to include Bell peppers, sweet potatoes, lettuce and herbs.

The garden project sign is displayed prominently at the entrance to the garden, easily visible from the main road. After installing the Community Garden Project sign and local media coverage, there was a significant increase in the community’s awareness of the garden and therefore attracted new visitors and volunteers. There were over 30 volunteers to participate in planting, maintaining and harvesting the garden of the garden.  The garden potentially benefited over 120 community members. 

Volunteers would visit the garden throughout the week to assist with planting, weeding, watering, garden maintenance, harvesting and participating in garden education and outreach.

Feedback received about the garden included: 

Student(s): Raven “I like being able to build and put things together.” James, “Mrs. Caesar can we do this instead of working in the classroom this week?” 

Princess Layah “WOW “ at the sweet potatoes! I didn’t know they could grow like that!” 4th Block class, “Please, please Mrs. Caesar let us stay with you so we can finish working on the beds?”

The garden has received positive feedback for the community Quotes from partner(s).

Ms. Miller, “Looking good thank you for the herbs.”

Quotes from parents Calas, “Oh, thank you so much this will season my food with a freshness.” Smith, “Oh I will be happy to receive some Okra. I love it, this is good for the kids to see how things grow.” 

Ms. Montford, “Oh I can show my club how to make potpourri for and we can use the rosemary for hair oil. Just put in olive oil and let it sit for a few days then use it on your hair.”

Comments from others: Teachers, Students, and others that received some of the harvests were very thankful for the opportunity to receive fresh vegetables right then.

The garden did not go without its challenges. There were times of extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain and sometimes cold weather.  We had to design a makeshift greenhouse to protect the pineapple plants from the subfreezing temperatures.

Overall, the community now has a space for people to grow their own vegetables and meet up with others.