THHS Green Team creates garden in the library courtyard

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Though winter is in full swing, the THHS Green Team has spring on the mind. Starting in September, the Green Team planted turnips, lettuce, carrots and herbs such as basil, oregano, and cilantro on the library patio. They were already able to harvest turnips and will have more harvesting days in spring of this year. The Garden will also be harvesting marigolds and wildflowers in the spring when the weather is warmer.

The garden serves to teach Townsend Harris students about food sustainability and how to apply it into their everyday lives. From planting the garden to harvesting it through community building events, the Green Team aims to help students learn how to plant their own vegetables and achieve self-sufficiency.

Green Team co-president Prisha Rao said, “We are hoping to host more events about how to plant or grow food sustainably by using our own plants as implants so [students] can take them and plant them at their house…Offering students an alternative to grow their own food and educating them can help them in becoming more self-sufficient.”

Green Team member Pragya Sharma said, “Since we are so focused on our academic skills, we need to develop skills outside of that. Having a closer focus on life skills can help really make a difference.”

Pragya Sharma said she finds that the garden brings satisfaction when people see food being harvested. “The turnips were cute and the pictures came out nice. We even got to give turnips to Ms. Fee for her soup.”

“I remember during my freshman year, the library patio looked very dark and sad even though it was bright out. The garden is a way to make the patio lively,” Prisha said.

Pragya said, “People have something to look forward to during the school day so they can go outside and relax with the plants.”

Sophomore Alisa Avdul said, “The garden is a nice addition to the patio…It makes the environment more welcoming. You might be more inclined to visit the garden and enjoy the space that we have.”