Kids at KELSET can celebrate earth day by enjoying a little nature while at school. A river runs along the field, gardens are not far away, and at the top of the sliver of land trees await years of creating memories.
“We’ve planted all of these things with the kids,” explained teacher Maria St. Amand. “We thought that the kids would really enjoy being in a natural area, not always asphalt or pavement or plastic.”
When the two-year-old school was built, teachers and parents were determined to have a natural place for their young charges to play and learn.
“A few of us were really passionate about having a natural area for the kids,” St. Amand said. “We wanted more than artificial playground equipment, we wanted the kids to have more of a natural playground and learn also about what the native species are … so there’s just a lot of learning that can happen with it.”
Thanks to the community work parties, and donations, five raised beds are starting their third year of producing food on the grounds. Each year Life Cycles volunteers come in and works with the Grade 3 students to plant and care for the growing project. In the summer the on-site daycare program tends the gardens.
“You should have seen these, it was amazing the abundance of these little beds,” St. Amand said of the fall harvest this year.
Trees are sprouting near the school building and a small brook leads down the property toward East Saanich Road.
“The kids just love walking on the logs, and playing in the streams and making little boats and dams and things like that,” said St. Amand.
“It’s really nice down there. I like it all,” agreed student Saje Griffith, who is also a member of the Destination Conservation group. “The stream is awesome and everybody plays in it.” Her favourite plant, not surprisingly, is sage. Perhaps part of the reason the kids love it so much, she adds, is because they were all a part of the planning process. Students drew out their own ideas for the greenscape, which were incorporated in the final design.
“It’s nice. All the plants are really cool to look at and every year the kids do all the planting and mulching down there,” Saje said.
The green space is inspiring, and award-winning. KELSET is among the elementary school winners in the third annual BC Green Games, Science World’s province-wide contest that rewards students’ eco-actions.
“We continue to be inspired by the students who participate in BC Green Games,” said Pauline Finn, Vice President of Community Outreach with Science World. “They show us all that can be accomplished when you not only talk about being eco-conscious, but take action to be green.”
And the project continues to grow.
“We’ve just gotten a $3,000 grant from Tree Canada so we’re going to start our next phase,” said St. Amand. “We’re going to be ordering more trees. We’re going to order big trees so that we have some bang for our buck right away.”
See other award-winners online at bcgreengames.ca.