The recent gourd harvest by elementary students from The Learning Center in Mount Vernon was more than just an outdoor activity. It marked the completion of a hands-on project that allowed students to observe new life emerging from a decaying vegetable.
The initiative was led by Erin Salva, a retired administrator from Kenyon College who manages the Arch Park Community Garden on the west side of Mount Vernon. For several years, Salva has provided gardening experiences for students at The Learning Center, an alternative K-12 school located in the former Mount Vernon West Elementary building.
“We placed an old gourd in a classroom terrarium and let it rot, then the kids took seeds from it and planted them,” Salva said. “It showed them that when something dies it can regenerate. It was a full-circle learning experience.”
The Learning Center is run by the Knox Educational Service Center. As part of her work with students there, Salva has taught them how to start seeds in pots on classroom windowsills before transferring them to raised beds on the playground. Previous small harvests have included vegetables such as radishes, peas, broccoli, lettuce, and flowers.
On October 10 at Arch Garden, Salva guided fourth- and fifth-grade students through activities that included comparing gourds and pumpkins and searching for insects using magnifying glasses she provided.
“Look!,” one boy shouted. “I found a praying mantis!”
“I don’t think you needed a magnifying glass for that,” Salva said, laughing as other students gathered around.
She advised the group to watch but not touch the insect as it moved among weeds.
