May 29, 2015

Sampson ES Garden Party

Tegan Bernas, a third-grade student in Ms. Ham's class, gets excited for the 12th annual Garden Party on May 28.


The 12th annual Garden Party wrapped up another fantastic year in the garden for third- grade students at Sampson ES on May 28.

Sampson celebrated its year of garden success growing enough lettuce to feed every third-grade student a salad at Salad Party Day in November, as well as enough carrots for every third-grade student to take one home in January. The students also grew cabbage, peas, spinach and Swiss chard through the winter. They will soon harvest potatoes, peppers, Swiss chard and bushels of tomatoes and cucumbers.

The Garden Party included Sampson parents and grandparents as guests in the garden where a video highlighting the third-grade students' work in the garden and what they grew from seed to harvest.

Students and guests enjoyed a snack of baby carrots and lemonade while searching for garden crops in a scavenger hunt. Students also took home a small plant to grow over the summer.

Sampson ES has worked with Stephanie Baker of Ready to Grow Gardens for the last 12 years. Visit her website at www.readytogrowgardens.com. The Garden Day program offers consulting, a garden educator that teaches each participating campus as well as management of the school garden. 

Millsap ES DAWGS



Millsap Elementary’s namesake service dog, “Millsap,” which the school purchased through the DAWGS organization to assist a local veteran, visited the school on April 24.

It started as a service project for the Millsap ES annual Veterans Day celebration in conjunction with a local organization DAWGS (Dogs Assisting Wounded GIs). Millsap students and staff raised money to help with the care and training of a service dog that would eventually be paired with a local veteran. 

On April 24, the school’s dog, “Millsap,” (or Millie for short) and her owner/veteran visited for the first time so everyone could meet her and she could work on skills learned during her training.

“Millie” relaxes on the ground during the visit to the school she was named after.
“It was a very exciting afternoon for all of us and we are so proud to have contributed to such a fine organization helping those veterans returning home that need some extra TLC,” said Debbie Hall, Millsap librarian and program coordinator. 


Members of the Millsap ES student council join DAWGS representatives and their new service dog, “Millsap,” during a recent school visit. Pictured are DAWGs founder Jeremy Mahon, Tana Plescher, Aidan Moeller, Sophia Mahon, Robert Cambron, Jake Hawkins, Olivia Garcia, Adam Hoglund, Molly McEnerney, Peyton Riley, Lucy Riley, Megan Riley and Watch D.O.G.S. parent Michael Riley.

From left, Jeremy Mahon, DAWGS founder;
Tana Plescher, Veteran; Debbie Hall, Millsap librarian; Sophia Mahon, student;
introduce
their new service dog, “Millsap,” during a recent school visit.