It’s a beautiful day at Bullington Gardens in Hendersonville. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and Henderson County Public Schools students are showing off the gardens they’ve been developing on site all semester long.
The Horticultural Therapy and Bullington Onsite Occupational Student Training (BOOST) Programs at Bullington Gardens bring in high school and middle school students every week to work on gardening and landscaping projects. Bullington Gardens Director John Murphy said that students with special needs who work in the gardens are able to relax and express themselves, while students in the BOOST Program hone skills to supplement their technical education classes and future careers.
“This is about fostering success for students who struggle in school,” Murphy said.
This semester, teams from Hendersonville, East Henderson, North Henderson and West Henderson high schools created gardens for public display. Murphy said students were asked to come up with a theme, design and budget that didn’t exceed $45.
The gardens followed themes predetermined by the teams, ranging from North’s purple and gold pride, to West’s winning display of peace and harmony, to East’s anti-bullying message. Hendersonville’s garden was dedicated to a former student who was deported earlier in the school year. Chase White, the sole member of Hendersonville’s team, used the garden as a tribute to the student and the sentiment of acceptance his story offered.
“Alex was a friend of mine,” White said. “He always stood up for people. He was just a really good guy.”
All the students who participated in projects with the gardens this year were rewarded at a small ceremony on the grounds today, and the awards were presented by Superintendent Bo Caldwell and School Board Member Mary Louise Corn. After the ceremony, the students showed off some of the skills they’ve learned at the gardens in a horticultural Olympics, a series of contests including mulching and tractor driving.
Mary Hugenschmidt, a volunteer with Bullington Gardens, said she appreciates the organization’s commitment to teaching students in need.
She said, “It’s nice to have one place where, regardless of the complexity of their struggles, kids can have a haven.”
(Written by Jake Browning, Western Carolina University, Public Information Office Intern, HCPS.)