Submitted by the Orcas Christian School.

Orcas Christian School has partnered with the Master Gardener Program at Washington State University to help students learn about gardening and nature twice a month.

Currently, students are working on two fun projects: setting up worm bins and growing mushrooms. By studying worms, students will discover the importance of creating healthy soil and compost.

“The Master Gardener ladies provided me with the bins from prior projects. Each of the two bins contains about 1,000 red wigglers to start the colony,” said OCS teacher Anna Vedder, who keeps one of the worm bins in her classroom.

“I think students (and staff) may better understand how various parts of our environment and ecosystems work together,” Vedder added.

The compost project has been especially popular with the students at OCS.

“I’m a big fan of the compost bin project and how we learn about how things break down into compost,” said OCS student Melia.

To track their learning, each student has created a journal to document their observations in the garden throughout the year. The journal helps them reflect on their experiences and connect more deeply with nature.

Through this partnership, students not only grow plants but also develop important skills such as teamwork and responsibility. The school is excited to see how their gardens — and the students’ knowledge — continue to grow this year.