Peters Township High School offers a variety of enjoyable clubs and activities, with the Horticulture Club being a popular choice. In this club, students learn about gardening, landscaping, and work on growing a variety of plants and vegetables. The focus is to educate students on agriculture. This year they plan to grow different herbs and vegetables such as basil, oregano, tomatoes, and peppers. In fact, the club’s freshly grown peppers were offered in the school’s cafeteria for all students to enjoy.
Mr. Orend, a biology teacher and horticulture club adviser, said, “This club provides important life skills that students should learn… and it helps students to gain responsibility in the real world.”
Mr. Orend is also advocating for Life Skills students to join, and is very excited about this new chapter within the club. Students in the Life Skills program first got involved during the summer by watering the raised garden beds in front of the school during their extended school year program. Currently, they have been harvesting peppers and other vegetables from the raised garden beds. Horticulture Club students have been teaching them how to plant seeds and maintain plants during this school year in preparation for life skills students to serve a larger role in the new greenhouse in the future. They are also learning the life skills necessary to plant and maintain a garden of their own
The club’s goal is to purchase a greenhouse during this school year and to place it in the courtyard. Club members are organizing multiple fundraising events to help with the purchase.
“The horticulture club raises money from our Annual Spring Plant sale, and from our Christmas wreath sale. We are growing poinsettias to sell through a poinsettia fundraiser this winter,” said Orend. “We are currently applying for many different types of educational grant opportunities to fund the club, and hope to hold a crowdfunding fundraiser this fall.” Their goal is to raise enough funds to begin construction in the summer before next school year.
Senior Juliana Taylor, who joined the club freshman year, said, “There is just no other experience like it; It is a great way to play a role in the environment and spend time with your friends.”
In addition, she explained that it is fun to be involved with the garden at school, and that it almost feels like running a business. “I like that the Horticulture Club allows me to do hands-on work. I think it’s a really unique experience to be able to say that you planted a garden at your school, and that you are a part of a local business in a sense,” she said.
Students are encouraged to join if they are interested in plants and gardening, or if they just want to spend time with their peers and give back to their community. The Horticulture Club encourages students to be active in their community, and provides various opportunities for everyone. If you or someone you know is interested in joining, you can attend their next meeting, or talk to Mr. Orend.
