|
Agricultural and culinary students harvest Romaine lettuce from a garden at Southwest High School on Thursday in El Centro. (JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO / February 8, 2013) |
Due to the dedication of two teachers and the hard work of their students, the vegetable garden at Southwest High School in El Centro has produced an array of fresh produce ready for consumption.
The garden is a joint project, which serves as a hands-on learning experience for the culinary arts and the agriculture students.
“We started this last year, but not to this extent,” said Amanda Hill, culinary arts teacher. “We’ve been able to grow lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and artichoke.”
In order to help maintain the garden, the students sell fresh salads to the Southwest High staff members, Hill said.
“Eventually we’d like to see it grow to the point where we’d be able to have a farmers market. That is our goal,” Hill said.
Yet in order for the leafy greens to reach the cutting board, agriculture teacher Sam Urie ensures his students are tending to the vegetables correctly.
“The responsibility is shared between all the students,” Urie said. “They have to pull the weeds and pick the lettuce when it’s ready.”
Urie said the garden also helps him teach his students about the produce that is grown throughout the Imperial Valley.
“Before this project 90 percent of my students didn’t know what vegetable they were looking at,” Urie said. “Now, they know what is coming out of the ground and how far away it is from being harvested.”
Urie and Hill both agreed the garden’s success could be attributed to the students.
“They are all here because they want to be here,” Hill said.
Culinary arts student, Kenneth Zhou said he was inspired to join the class because of his father.
“My dad is a cook, and it’s something I enjoy doing,” said Kenneth, a 17-year-old junior. “The class is fun because we get to make a lot of different things and taste them, too.”
For Michaela Abatti, the chance to put some of her own farming knowledge to work is why she volunteers to help with the garden.
“My dad (Mike Abatti) helped start the garden, so it’s fun for me to come and see how things are coming along,” said Michaela, a 14-year-old freshman.
Staff Writer Karina Lopez can be reached at 760-337-3439 or klopez@ivpressonline.com
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
