When Sister Sharon Dillon arrived at Heritage Middle School in South Berwyn, Illinois six years ago, she found seven garden beds completely overtaken by weeds and wondered how such a positive school could look so neglected outside, but now those beds burst with cucumbers, collard greens, tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes, jalapeños, and herbs like mint, basil, parsley, and thyme. During class periods, Dillon’s sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade science students check each bed to see what needs weeding and what can be harvested, with most eighth graders having worked on the garden for over two years and developing deep connections to the soil and the food it produces. Student Sofia Garcia Marquez loves watching the flowers grow and sometimes picks jalapeños to take home because her mom likes them, while fellow student Somaya Price treasures memories of coming outside to enjoy the air and plant seeds in the earth. The garden has boosted students’ confidence according to Dillon, giving them something concrete to show friends and say their class accomplished while developing respect for Earth as the source of food.
The most striking impact is students’ newfound understanding that food actually grows from the ground rather than simply appearing in grocery stores, a realization that transforms how they view meals and waste. After making do with their own materials for years, Dillon called Home Depot for donations and in spring 2022 they added nutrients to the soil, turned all the beds, and fixed dying trees around campus, while a KidsGardening grant provided materials to cover beds and prevent squirrels and rabbits from eating the plants. The students work almost year-round, picking green tomatoes before the first frost and placing them in newspaper inside brown bags in the closet where they ripen over weeks, then turning soil and adding mulch until spring returns. Maintaining the garden takes tremendous work with Dillon arriving as early as 6:15 a.m. during summer break to weed, water, and harvest, but she believes the effort is worth it as students learn composting, sustainable practices, and the profound connection between Earth and the food that sustains us.
