Members of the school community at Hope Highlands Middle School gathered together in front of the school near the flagpole on May 24 for a groundbreaking ceremony which celebrated the awarding of a $5000 RI Dept. of Education/Cox Communications grant for a community garden.

Principal Alex Kanelos was joined by Assistant Principal Karen MacBeth, Cranston Public Schools Science Program Supervisor Steve Scappaticci and members of the staff and student body. Honored guests were Deputy Commissioner Odom-Villella from the RI Dept. of Education, Superintendent Jeannine Nota- Masse, Lorilyn Hall and Erica Mottau from the school’s Parent Teacher Organization and Eddie Jenkins, the Vice President of Cox Communications Business.

MacBeth shared how the garden came to be, noting that it began with one student picking up a stick while waiting for the bus to arrive one day.

“It was the beginning of the year, buses were running late and student energy was running high,” said MacBeth. “I thought to myself ‘what can I do to keep the students positively engaged while they wait for their bus?’ First was picking up sticks and twigs, then it was picking up litter, then it led to weeding the beds around the school grounds, with many students participating. At the same time I saw a social media post about saving the Monarch Butterfly and schools could get a seed packet for a pollinated garden mix for free.”

As the months went by, the seed packet sat on her desk until late winter when a member of the district’s administration came to the school and met with the students in the library, to see what programs they would like to see offered in the school. Upon hearing of the students’ interest in a school garden club, MacBeth asked Scappaticci if he knew of a grant opportunity to enable them to do this.

Together, along with student input, the two wrote the Cox Conservation Contest entry and they were later notified they had received the $5000 grant.

“The incredible generosity of Cox will enable us to fulfill the vision of having a student-led community garden club. The members of this club will design and establish a butterfly and pollinator garden which will be the focal point when arriving at Hope Highlands,” she said. “The garden will support Monarch butterflies that are struggling.”

She noted the decline in the population of the Monarch butterfly as well as the milkweed plant, which they use to feed.

“This will make our club members stewards for a better environmental world. They will also be harvesting rainwater which will be done to help maintain this and other gardens on the school grounds. Rain barrels will be made and installed by the students. They will be building and establishing raised garden beds,” MacBeth said, emphasizing the science, technology, engineering, and math skills which will be incorporated into the garden club activities.

She explained that garden beds will be offered to families and to the community to maintain and harvest. Compost bins will be set up for the leaves, grass and other materials rather than sending those materials to the landfill.

“The goal that I have always wanted to instill in students is a love for learning. The students here have asked for this learning experience and I thank you for enabling us to do this. We will be including the community and having a positive environmental impact,” MacBeth said. “Even the littlest act of picking up a stick at the beginning of the school year can lead to learning with a lifelong positive impact.”

Deputy Commissioner Odom-Villella shared her excitement about the project as she spoke to the audience.

“I look forward to coming back and seeing the butterflies and the work that you're doing as you come together and work on this project that is bringing your passion, creativity and community focus to your school. Through this project you’re not only going to be helping the environment and the community with fresh food, but you’ll also be bringing everyone together,” said Odom-Villella.

She also shared that she is both a yoga instructor and a gardener herself, and told the students that the garden project will also help with relaxation and have a positive impact on their mental health. 

Cox Communications Vice President of Business for the region, Eddie Jenkins, thanked all in attendance for their leadership and support to the school. He congratulated the students on their project.

“It’s great to see Rhode Island schools focus on conservation and the environment,” said Jenkins. “Those two things are very important to those of us at Cox as well.”

He explained that the company recently reached their goal of zero waste to landfill, which means that a lot of their employees, suppliers and vendors work very hard to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“I’m very excited to see the effort and the care that you all put into conservation,” Jenkins said.