Washougal High School’s Unified Garden Club seeks volunteers with a passion for gardening

Nicholas Maloney and Jason Meulton learn how to prepare seed starts at Hayes Family Growers. Photo courtesy Washougal School District

The group is actively recruiting parent and community volunteers to help care for the garden over the summer and expand the student club in the upcoming school year

Washougal High School’s newly formed Unified Garden Club brings together students with disabilities and their peers to connect over the joy of gardening. The group is actively recruiting parent and community volunteers to help care for the garden over the summer and expand the student club in the upcoming school year. Student and staff leaders in the Unified Garden Club have long term goals to expand the club and donate produce from the garden to local food banks.

“I like the garden club because I get to hang out with friends, pull weeds, and learn how to plant healthy food,” said Unified Garden Club student president Nic Maloney. The after-school club fosters an environment of teamwork and respect while providing practical lessons in gardening, customer service, sales, and social connections.

The club raised $510 through the first annual ASB fundraiser plant sale this spring. Students sold 53 tomato starts, 53 impatiens, 36 begonias, 14 lobelias, and 48 French marigolds at the spring plant sale fundraiser. Proceeds from the plant sale will be used to sustain the garden space at Washougal High School through the summer.

-Washougal High School students at Hayes Family Growers. Left to right, first row: Blake Early, Jason Meulton, Ava Campbell, Charles Jeter, Evan Minor, Wyatt McGuire. Second row: Alexandra Antonova, Kayla Berry, Sarah-Noelle Hare, Suzanne Brown and Nicholas Maloney. Photo courtesy Washougal School District — Washougal High School students at Hayes Family Growers. Left to right, first row: Blake Early, Jason Meulton, Ava Campbell, Charles Jeter, Evan Minor, Wyatt McGuire. Second row: Alexandra Antonova, Kayla Berry, Sarah-Noelle Hare, Suzanne Brown and Nicholas Maloney. Photo courtesy Washougal School District

Community and parent volunteers are stepping up to help sustain the garden over the summer. Volunteers care for the garden for a week at a time in the summer months. These efforts make a big difference to maintain the garden as an educational resource for students throughout the year. For more information about how to volunteer, contact Kim Anderson at kimberly.anderson@washougalsd.org.

Hayes Family Growers, a local plant nursery, taught students from the WHS Life Skills class about preparing seed starts at their nursery in east Vancouver this year. Students were given a tour of the nursery and participated in activities that students will apply to establishing their own nursery space at the high school.

“We’re thankful for our community partners and volunteers for helping to make this project a reality,” said David Williams, Garden Club advisor at Washougal High School.

For more information about Washougal School District and to learn more about ways to get involved in projects like this as a community volunteer, visit: Volunteer – WSD (washougal.k12.wa.us).

Information provided by the Washougal School District.