District News

Students at Como Park Elementary School got their hands dirty as they harvested fruits, vegetables and flowers that they planted earlier in the year in the school’s garden.

Jacquelyn Galas, a second grade teacher who manages the Como Park Garden, said the garden provides lessons that students may not always find in the classroom.

“They’re finding things and making connections and it’s a beautiful thing to see,” Galas said.

The garden hosted new items like cabbage and cauliflower to go along with long-established crops like tomatoes, beets, swiss chard, peppers and carrots.

After students plant seeds in the spring, families volunteer to tend the garden during the summer to ensure that its crops are ready for harvesting by students in the fall. 

The student-harvested items will be presented as an addition to students’ lunches, coinciding with the school’s annual Farmer Marcinelli Day, which encourages students to try new foods from the garden.

The students’ harvesting drew the attention of local media outlets, including WGRZ-TV, WKBW-TV and WIVB-TV.