As it appeared in the Westside Bulletin, October, 2017.
The Graham Academy has hit the ground running this school year. After a productive Spring and Summer growing season we are rounding the corner into our Fall season with a lot of accomplishments behind us and a lot yet to achieve. Last year our students harvested 804 lbs of produce and the educational opportunities associated with the garden have been endless. Our students have active roles in the design, building, planting, maintenance, harvesting, cooking and selling of produce from the garden they have created. They save seeds from year to year and are also always planting new fruit trees and trying out new types of vegetables. Our students could literally see the fruit of their efforts!
This year our students are currently harvesting at about 41% greater than last year this time and we still have 2 months left to our fall season! The Graham Academy students have produced a diverse, productive and resilient garden that they are proud of. The crop diversity with the various types of fruits and vegetables this year is amazing. Our fruit trees and berry bushes are starting to produce a yield above and beyond last year. Last year we grew a few apples. This year we harvested peaches, nectarines, cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Apples and Chinese mulberries are still ripening and our raspberries are in full swing. We can only imagine what future years will bring us as our fruit trees mature.
The Graham Academy school garden program can be a year-round endeavor, producing life-lasting educational opportunities and experiences.
The Graham Academy is a licensed private academic school for students living with autism and emotional challenges. At The Graham Academy we believe education is a journey of discovery. Nick Ouellette, CEO stated “… everything is education and I say education is life. A Graham Academy education believes that all moments in a day are an opportunity to learn, to explore, to discover, to communicate, and to understand.”