Teacher Plants the Seeds for Meaningful Learning

Harborfields Central School District’s Christy Roxo, a Family and Consumer Science teacher at Oldfield Middle School, is working to educate students on making healthy choices by taking them out of the classroom and into the garden.

Upon receiving a grant in the amount of $600 from HACEF (Harborfields Alumni and Community Education Foundation), Ms. Roxo bought the materials needed to grow a vegetable garden with her sixth-grade students. Together students designed and created two planting boxes in which they planted lettuce seeds. Decker’s Nursery in Greenlawn also donated herbs for the students to incorporate in their gardens.

“The goal is to add new boxes and vegetables every year,” explained Ms. Roxo. “We then hope to use those vegetables and herbs from our gardens throughout the year in class, starting in September when the class explores a cooking unit.” 

Photo: Oldfield Middle School Family and Consumer Science teacher Christy Roxo is working to educate students on making healthy choices by taking them out of the classroom and into the garden.

By Alison DeMaria