ZANESVILLE – The summer school in Zanesville looks a little different this year.
Take a stroll past Zane Gray Intermediate, on the corner of Pine Street and Pershing Road, and you’ll see the usual activity. Of course there is a swing and children playing kickball.
What you’ll also notice is a long line of planters in the school’s community garden. Students grew everything from mint and basil to tomatoes and banana peppers, all with the idea of incorporating the value of science into carrying out teamwork.
Students exhibited their work Thursday, with Principal Mark Stallard and Assistant Superintendent Steve Foreman among the administrators who got to see them firsthand.
They listened as students from grades 3 through 6 gave a presentation at the shelter on a damp, cloudy afternoon. Working through the heat was commonplace for the students on the program, who carried liter jugs of water to the planters to feed the plants in the early stages of growth.
“These (planters) have literally been weeds for years, and we wanted to get started,” said Emily Brady, fifth grade teacher who co-directed the activities with colleague Kathy Stillwell. “We thought the summer program was the perfect way to do that.”
In addition to tomatoes and peppers, zucchini, watermelon, basil and blackberries were also grown. It was a team effort within the district as plants and tools, and was provided by Abby Guss and Jessica Stonecypher who lead the agricultural education division through the Mid-East Career Center at the middle school.
Brady said the students would love to join in, many more than willing to jump into the tedious chores of digging and weeding. In some cases, it has meant moving plants from one planter to another to ensure adequate growth. They were split into two sessions, one with about 20 students and another with about 12.
“They absolutely love it,” said Brady.
Unlike previous years, when the summer school was a way to catch up with subsequent students, this year it was open to anyone interested due to the impact of COVID-19 on students. Stallard said the smaller class sizes helped students become more comfortable with their teachers.
Stallard said the program provides an opportunity for some outdoor learning activities that were restricted during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years hit by COVID-19. He said Zane Gray’s 85 children attending were about as many as the past summer school programs overall. A total of around 100 students took part, he said.
“I think it’s a good balance for the kids in summer school,” said Stallard. “You will go in and learn how to integrate math, science, (language) and writing and come here with the hands-on activities. It’s a really nice balance. I was impressed with the fact that, despite the heat and stuff, the wanted Children and teachers really come here. “
Fifth grader Taylor Daw was among the most eager to get her hands dirty, Brady said. His family also grow various plants at home so he had some familiarity before the summer program began. One of them is classmate Charles Bittner, whose family grows a variety of vegetables, including sweetcorn, in their garden on Cliffwood Avenue.
Daw, who also enjoys mowing and fishing, helps his family grow corn, cucumbers and watermelons at home. He said he particularly enjoyed the digging aspect, especially using the hammer to hammer stakes.
“You can strike with anything you have,” Daw said. “It helps reduce stress.”
Brady is proud of what the children have achieved.
“Some students go here,” said Brady. “That shows how much they want to be here. You don’t have to.
sblackbu@gannett.com
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Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR
