Yam vines growing in the school garden.
Plastic bottles used for drip irrigation in the school garden.
Kemoy Powell of the environment club shows off a pumpkin in the school's garden.-Contributed photos
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Christopher Serju, Gleaner WriterSANDY BAY, Hanover:FOLLOWING AN impressive showing at the Tryall Club when it participated in last month's Earth Day competition, over staff and guests, the Sandy Bay Primary and Junior High School in Hanover is poised to expand its environmental/agricultural activities.
The school's presentation for the Face of Climate Change competition - which included posters and creative, decorative pieces from its environment club - so impressed that the hotel has decided to adopt it and provide mentorship for its environment and agriculture projects.
This follows a visit to the school by Shaku Ramcharan, Tryall Club's environment and conservation manager, who toured the old shade house and inspected the container gardening project, leading to a to assist the school.
self-sufficient
"Our vision is to develop a programme for life in schools that's both self-sufficient and self-sustaining to promote green education in our local community," said Ramcharan. "Sandy Bay Primary and Junior High has a very good foundation but simply needs support and a bit more coordination. We look to developing their programme to reflect the sustainability which Tryall is committed to following."
Yvonne Hill, the school's environment coordinator, expressed great satisfaction with the offer from the Tryall Club to assist the school in transforming the greenhouse. She explained that the school is strapped for cash and the assistance would be greatly appreciated. "We are elated," said the teacher who has toured Tryall's organic garden. "I am elated about Tryall's garden and really wouldn't mind having one like that here."
A preliminary assessment of the garden, where flowers, tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and turmeric among other plants are cultivated, has been done. In addition, the composting project aimed at providing low-cost, high-quality fertiliser has been assessed. Following a more comprehensive needs assessment, work will get under way to facilitate the expected transformation of the school to provide much of the vegetables for its canteen needs.
The students will also receive training on composting by Eric Edwards from The Tryall Club and it is hoped that an irrigation plan can also be put in place.
Hill is excited about this partnership, viewing it as a vindication of the hard work done by students since the environment club started in 2001.
Meanwhile, principal Eugenie Simpson is optimistic that with the assistance from Tryall, the school should by next term be able to provide all the vegetables it needs from the container gardening project. She also had high praise for the efforts of the environment club, for which the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica has been very supportive over the years.