Jefferson Elementary School students aim to draw pollinators

Trevor Pyle, Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, Wash.
·2 min read

Jun. 12—MOUNT VERNON — One student picked a calliope hummingbird; another decided on a fuzzy-horned bumblebee.

For students of teacher Roberta Carlson at Jefferson Elementary School in Mount Vernon, the last few months have been filled with learning about this region's pollinators — and how to attract them to the school's garden.

This week, Carlson's 20 fifth-grade students put carefully chosen plants into the soil of newly made raised beds at the school. The plants range from globe thistle to goldenrod, from four o'clocks to shepherd's needle.

The plants differ in size and appearance, but all are geared to attract specific pollinators. Each student picked a pollinator, then planted something aimed to attract the bird or bee the student had decided upon.

Carlson, who has taught a morning and afternoon fifth-grade group at the school since it reopened for in-person learning in March, said she developed the idea during a training session on project-based learning.

The project isn't just a one-day planting session, she said. The students have been learning about the rich variety of pollinators in the region, and the reasons their numbers are dwindling.

They wrote five-paragraph essays pitching the garden to the school's principal, helped plan the project near the school's greenhouse and made a budget for it, all the way down to the volume of soil and the sales tax.

Carlson said teachers held a plant sale to help fund the project, raising more than $500. The project also got a boost thanks to donations of supplies and plants from Skagit Farmers Supply and Christianson's Nursery.

The result of the project, which started in March? Forty growing plants.

On Thursday, students from the afternoon group planted, raked soil and watered the two plants they'd each chosen. Two wore gardening gloves, and they all took turns carrying bags of potting soil.

"We're definitely making you work for your ice cream party," Carlson said.

Despite the hard work, the students said they've enjoyed the experience.

"I have gardens at my house, and it'll be more fun if I enjoy it at school, too," Eddie Salas said.

— Reporter Trevor Pyle: 360-416-2156, tpyle@skagitpublishing.com, Twitter: @goskagit, Facebook.com/bytrevorpyle