On Tuesday and Wednesday, I noticed that some of the students enjoyed the planting and wanted to continue to work in the garden first thing in the morning, or after lunch, even after school students were asking to plant. I would overhear the students telling their friends which plant they planted and were claiming ownership over the planting process. I think this garden makeover affected the students; it has been a positive direction for our future gardeners, environmentalist, and citizens.
Thank you to all who have provided this magical change in our playground area.
Teri Diaz
PE/Dance Teacher
"It makes me feel really proud to be at a school where all of this work is being done by everyone- kids, staff, leadership- and it’s not just a few people trying to get everyone to start. This school is a leading school in the forward motion of environmental action!"
— Eron Reed, 4th Grade Teacher
"Room 204’s Earth Force project was keeping the playground litter free. We made weather proof signs that we will hang on the fences and near trash cans asking people to recycle and throw their trash away."
— Maureen McBride, 4th Grade Teacher
"For our Earth Force project my class worked on helping to pick out which native plants that would be planted in the native garden. We met with Maggie and she helped up to pick out plants that would be visually appealing and that would limit the water going into the storm drains. My class worked in 4 groups planting and helping during the entire during the entire process. They had a great time. Because they participated heavily in the process they had a great deal of buy-in. They are proud of the garden and are anxiously watching it grow."
— Tambra Kennedy, 5th grade teacher
"Wow! Other schools must be “green” with envy! The Green Makeover Day at Ellis was such a success. The students were extremely excited over their participation in planting the garden for the living roof. They also seemed to get a lot out of visiting the environmental booths in the gym and seeing some of the projects that our very own students participated in. I think the best part is that the interest in ecological concerns has just begun. The learning that will follow will be incredible! Kudos to Earth Force and Earth Network for a fantastic day!"
— Maureen Clarke, ESL Resource Teacher
"I am so proud of our school and I know that the whole community will benefit form our green makeover. Our students have led the way with a different kind of thinking and have become leaders in "thinking green". What super ideas were created! From recycling, composting, building raised garden beds for the elderly, carpooling, biking to school, the student body at Ellis truly demonstrated that they are green, from April 21, 2008 and through a sustainable future!"
— Sandy Stokely, 1st Grade teacher
2nd Grade Spanish-speaking students share their thoughts:
- Perla Vargas: Tenemos que salvar el mundo para que lo ayudamos y lo salvemos. Ellis esta ayudando el mundo reciclando. Vamos a poner masetas en el techo para que se refresca la escuela y usemos menos electricidad. Pienso que eso va funcionar bien.
- Translation: We need to help save the world. Ellis is helping the world by recycling. We are going to put flowerpots on the roof so that it cools the school and we use less electricity. I think this will work well.
- Jeffrey Carrillo: Lo que vamos a hacer en nuestra escuela es hacerla mas bonita. Vamos a plantar sácate y otras hierbas que son de Colorado. Eso esta bien porque sobreviven mejor aquí como no tenemos mucho agua y las plantas de Colorado ocupan poquita agua.
- Translation: What we are going to do in out school is make it much more pretty. We are going to plant grass and plants that are from Colorado. This is good because they live better here since we do not have much water and the Colorado plants only need a little water.
- Beatriz Aguilar: En la escuela estamos mejorando. Tenemos una caja de reciclar el papel. Van a hacer una casita donde el sol hace la electricidad. Espero que esa casita haga mucha electricidad.
- Translation: In our school, we are making it better. We have a box to recycle paper. We are going to have a little house where the sun makes the electricity. I hope that this little house makes lots of electricity.
- Maria Ochoa: Nos han dicho que a nuestra escuela…las paredes hagan la electricidad. Eso va a ayudar al mundo porque estamos usando la energía del sol.
- Translation: We have been told that at our school…, the walls make electricity. This is going to help our world a lot because we can use the sun’s energy.
- Victoria Acosta: En la escuela vamos a poner plantas arriba de la escuela para que nuestra escuela se ponga verde. Así el mundo tendrá mas oxígeno fresco y limpio
- Translation: In our school, we are putting plants on top of the school so that our school can be green. This way our world will have fresher, cleaner oxygen.
