Spartans show off their fall harvest. photo by Elizabeth Lynch
TJ’s Unified Garden program has grown in purpose and impact over time.
What started as a small school garden has developed into an opportunity for students to gain hands-on learning while simultaneously preparing students for real world jobs. The gardening program was originally started by Todd Byers, later led by Kerry Black, and is now overseen by Elizabeth Lynch, Work Experience Study (WES) Coordinator and AVID teacher, who has been involved for roughly 15 years.
After Lynch took over, the garden operated very differently. It originally included a fish tank system that used fish waste to fertilize plants, but Lynch chose to move away from that model. Instead, she shifted the program’s focus toward developing skills students can carry into real world jobs. As Lynch explained, the “goal is transferable skills, not super small independent skills.”
Her change in perspective helped shape the garden into a program centered on repetition and practical application. Students get the opportunity to learn processes they can build on over time. For example, one year the program installed soaker hoses, this experience could translate into work with a sprinkler or landscaping company.
Another key leader of the Spartan garden is Mark Roncato, one of TJ’s MI SPED professionals. Mr. Mark has been at TJ for nine years and has been involved with the garden throughout that time. He emphasizes that the goal is to provide students with “marketable skills” while also building responsibility and understanding through hands-on experience. The work follows a clear cycle: planning what to grow, using donated materials from garden centers, planting, tending to crops, and then eventually harvesting. The process then repeats year after year.
The garden produces a wide range of crops, depending on the season and available donations. Over the years, students have grown peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, corn, berries, and grapes. This semester, basil and tomatoes have taken the spotlight.
Over the years, the garden has evolved. According to Mr. Mark, the garden is now nearly three times the size it was when he first began. It was originally entirely ground level but raised planters have been built and incorporated over the past few years, making it, “so it is much more accessible to some of the kids based on their abilities,” Mr. Mark adds.
The program extends beyond the school year as well. During the summer, students can participate in internships lasting four to six weeks where they come in daily to help water, weed, and maintain the garden.
For students like junior Shane Donovan, the experience is both rewarding and hands-on. Donovan has been involved with the garden for two years, and has participated in the summer internship, helping with watering, planting, and general maintenance. His favorite task is watering he says with his hands in the air. With tomatoes and basil currently growing, Donovan is especially looking forward to making caprese salad when harvest season arrives.
At its core, the TJ garden goes beyond growing plants, as it gives students the opportunity to build practical, transferable skills they can use in future jobs.
