Who needs to go to an island or a resort when Inlet Grove is home to a garden that is being created through our own sweat and social media profiles?

Students and staff have joined to create a garden that is so much more than pretty flowers and trees. This garden represents the hard work of a team of Hurricanes who blew away the status quo and will now claim their trophy.

In case you have not heard, in the once overgrown space between buildings 1 and 2 there will now be a garden filled with all sorts of plants including vegetables, herbs and spices that the Culinary Academy will use in cooking their delicious meals.

This garden will also have furniture that will be used for students to enjoy the nature around them.

This is our trophy that, rather than sitting in a trophy case, will grow into a constant reminder that we accomplished something worth showing off to everyone.

This is a project that was envisioned last year, took root in August under the guidance of faculty sponsor Ms. Diane Jacques, and could not have been done without a committed student body and other staff.

Under Ms. Jacques’ supervision, a group of talented Hurricanes produced a rap video in order to compete for the $25,000 prize in the SkillsUSA Lowe’s Social Media Challenge. With the help of other students going on social media to vote using the hashtag #Lowe’s @SkillsUSA, Inlet Grove came in number one, winning $8,000 to jump start the garden.

Soon, on a sunny May day, Lowe’s staffers were on campus with equipment and to help create the garden.

“I put a little vision into this,” said John Bechard, assistant manager of the seasonal garden area at Lowe’s. “This is going to be more than a one day project.”  He broke down his vision for how he proposed to make the garden look best and put the students to work.

Around second period, Felicia Jones, another employee from Lowe’s, arrived to help the work force. The atmosphere changed to a more fun way that made getting all sweaty in a garden seem as something that wasn’t so bad.

After working diligently, students took a small break for refreshments and expressed their opinions of this project.

“I think a lot of people would want to come out here and see the beauty of it,” said Karen Hernandez. “Besides all the trees and everything, they can say wow this an amazing part of Inlet. Everyone would want to see it, be there, enjoy their time after all the effort we have put in. It’ll be something that makes Inlet stand out.”

Ms. Jacques should be praised for her leadership. She was out in the garden with the students the entire time and made sure she would personally see this project through to the end. She believed in the students’ ability to get the job done.

Sure enough, students and staff can now feel free to say welcome to paradise.

Links to previous stories:

Watch this space!!!

School improvement club (S.I.C) first meeting features Garden Project

Photo of the day: Garden grows

Inlet Grove is the Place to Be for Art and Tower Gardens