Royal Oaks Elementary School in Visalia sees budding interest in weekly Garden Club

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Students at Royal Oaks Elementary in Visalia were quick to put on their aprons, grab their tools and scatter through the garden.

Sixth-grade student Juliana Longacre is one of more than 60 students in the weekly Garden Club.

It's one of the only clubs on campus.

"I always get to plant something new or learn about a different plant that I've never heard of," Longacre said.

The idea was created and spearheaded by teachers Jilaine Ellis and Grace Hernandez at the start of the school year.

"We've planted a lot of vegetables, we've planted succulents and the kids have been really hands-on in the experience," Ellis said.

Without funding, the club has depended on donations from the Parent Teacher Association, the community and a local nursery.

The once bleak space has become a bright spot filled with kale and carrots and decorated with handmade sunflowers and painted pavers -- all made by students.

"We wanted it to have a piece of them because it really is like their garden, and we're really just the ones supervising and we really want to be like their work," Ellis said.

It has created a place for students to escape and to honor former classmates they've lost like Richard Weinert-Soto.

"Richie was probably the happiest student we ever had," Longacre said. "No matter what anyone was going through or what he was going through, he would always bring the joy."

The day we visited the garden, students got to harvest their hard work.

Some came with a little trial and error, and some vegetables weren't quite like what you see at the grocery store.

But others tasted good and ultimately showed that with patience and practice, their time and energy can pay off.

"This kind of signifies that even if you're younger or older, you can still plant a garden even if it's bigger or small," Longacre said.

If you would like to make a donation to help support the garden, you can reach out directly to Royal Oaks Elementary School.

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