Zachary Gosse’s students from his School and Community Leadership class at the Meadowbrook Alternative Program joined with the PREP Academy for an Earth Day activity aimed at brightening the grounds and serving as a future fresh produce supply for the Community Cupboard.

“Our 9/11 Plaza and Memory Garden in the front of the building now have some beautiful petunias which will fill the space with color far into the next school year,” explained MAP Principal Susan Ellinghaus.

Students learned gardening skills as the beds in the Brookside Farm located in the main courtyard had to be weeded, composted and treated with peat moss. Two of them are now planted with four different varieties of lettuce and spring onions, which had re-seeded themselves.

“Our PREP Academy students will tend to the garden and eventually harvest it for donating to the Community Cupboard,” added school psychologist Dr. Joseph Netto.

The district developed PREP Academy as a next-level education, recreational and vocational experience for students within the district through age 21. Goals of the academy include social understanding and skills, self-advocacy and developing specific job skills and independent recreational skills.