In October I published an article explaining what had happened to the class World Outside, in hopes of restoring the garden and bringing light to the necessary changes that needed to be made to the class. It explains the state that the garden was in and how some of the students in the class felt. Soon after the article was released there was a change.
Last year the Lively garden was maintained by Mrs. Morgan, who would regularly tend to it on the weekends and over the summer, despite the fervent heat. Sadly, this past year was Mrs. Morgan’s last at Lively, and even though Mrs. Lopez was luckily able to step in as the new science elective/world outside teacher, the garden succumbed to the record breaking summer heat. Since then Lopez and her students have been working hard to replenish the garden.
“It has been completely weeded out, it took seven to eight hours…though we didn’t scoop up anything, that’s what I’ve been having my first period do,” said Lopez.
Mrs. Lopez’s first and fifth period have been hard at work re-planting and maintaining the garden each day they spend outside. They have mainly replanted the sage tree and planted some aloe vera, and of course they are watering the soil and keeping the ground prepared for new plant arrivals. Other than working on the garden students are working toward a cleaner campus by picking up trash around in the courtyard and around the garden. Making this change has affected not only the garden but the students in the class. Students now are able to do what they hoped to when they signed up for the class.
“I feel like (world outside) is a lot better. I like the class more now,” said 8th grader Destin Connell.
Mrs. Lopez’s classes have been diligent in their task of preserving the Lively garden and taking care of the plants and soil. There has been a major improvement since I last went to the garden, and I can’t wait to see what they plant in the future. I believe having classes where you can learn about the outdoors in a hands-on way.
Even though a few classes are able to go into the garden most haven’t been able to leave the class due to the weather conditions. No one is to blame but crazy Austin weather is nonetheless an unfortunate truth.
“Usually we only really do environmental science work, and we don’t actually go to the garden. I’m in 7th period and we couldn’t go out because at the beginning of the school year it was summer and it was really hot, and now it’s getting really cold so we don’t really go out” said 8th grader Violet Sanchez.
