Students donate flowers
Amy and Justin Updike were among the recipients of flowers from students at the Clarke Elementary School.
Every class in the elementary planted flowers this spring. Students demonstrated a lot of responsibility caring for the flowers from March until May. Students in second through sixth grade voted on what business or individual in Osceola would receive their flowers and then donated their flowers to these people.
Several classes planted outside the elementary. Students in Ms. Lukavsky, Mrs Elben, Mrs. Pollard, Mrs. Gall, Ms. Clyde, Mrs. Swartz, Ms. Body and Ms. Mikkelson’s classes grew marigolds and planted them on the west side of the old gym at the elementary. Students in Ms. Patten, Mrs. Bolton,
Mrs. Wheeler, Mrs. Kennedy, Ms. Hill and Mr. May’s classes planted impatiens on the north of the old gym at the elementary.
Local businesses received flowers as well. Mrs. Halsband, Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Sickel’s classes donated petunias to the hospital. Mrs. Richman, Mr. McWilliams and Ms. Ryan’s classes donated marigolds and petunias to the nursing home. Mrs. Goos, Mrs. Griffieon and Mrs. Christian’s classes
donated assorted flowers to Radio Shack. Mrs. Lowe and Mrs. Wetterling’s classes donated petunias and marigolds to McDonalds. Mrs. Hullinger and Mr. McFarland’s class donated impatiens and petunias to the high school. Mrs. Abbott’s class donated petunias to Chipps Harley Davidson. Mrs.
Tokheim’s class donated marigolds to Osceola Foods. Mrs. Steenhoek’s class donated impatiens to East Lake Park. Mrs. Freed’s class donated petunias to the Eagles club.
A couple of classes voted to give flowers to an individual rather than a business. Mrs. Brause’s class donated their flowers to Justin and Amy Updike and Mrs. Ellis’ class donated their flowers to Janet Kilkinney.
Students learned a lot from participating in this project. They learned about responsibility by caring for the plants. They learned about citizenship by making a difference in their community. They learned about the science of growing and caring for the plants. They also learned a lot
about the jobs and people in our community when the recipients of the plants came in to collect their flowers and talk about their careers.
This project was completed at no cost to the school. Students used dirt donated by The Centerville Greenhouse in Centerville. They planted in milk containers recycled from the cafeteria lunches. The impatiens were grown from cuttings of last year’s impatiens.
Petunias were grown from seeds harvested from last year’s petunias and marigolds were grown from seeds purchased and donated by Mrs. Morgan, the guidance counselor. It is estimated that the students contributed more than $1,000 worth of plants to our community. Students feel good about giving back to a community which gives so much to them.