I entered with lackluster grades and clean shoes; I left covered in mulch and with a little extra credit. May 24th was the second annual Garden Party hosted in part by AP Biology teacher Mick Hamilton. We dug up dandelions with spades and spread mulch all over the path surrounding the graffiti covered rocks just outside the school.

Hamilton described how the garden party came into existence, “Originally we had one pollinator garden over by the practice fields and over the next three years we received grant money through the University of Minnesota and through the [South High] Foundation and other groups to put in these gardens. The first garden we put in was for food which actually gets used in the cafeteria here at school, the second new garden we put in was a pollinator garden out by the rock which is to help keep pollinators around and active in our community and then the newest garden is an indigenous garden which is being worked on by the All Nations program.”

Rachel Olivarez, a sophomore in Hamilton’s second hour AP Biology, attended the party. Though calling it a party may give you the wrong impression of what happened during those three hours. “We’re weeding up some plants, we’re doing some good deeds for extra credit or if you want to. I realized that I don’t really need extra credit because I have an A in [Hamilton’s] class but I like to weed a lot, its a good stress reliever,” said Olivarez.

Or as Elliot Pham, a sophomore in Hamilton’s third hour more concisely described: “we’re weeding, mulching.”

While it’s good for grades, the earth, and stress relief, Hamilton believes there’s another reason to attend the garden party. “I think it’s a great idea for people to go [to the party]… especially the vegetable garden, that food gets put back into the cafeteria. There are certain classes that tend to go out and put more time investment into the gardens but students outside of those classes should have an opportunity to work out there and it builds a great relationship amongst the community around South and all of the gardens have a really great purpose.”

Laughter, gardening, and food trucks all came together making a fun, productive party. I’m already looking forward to what’s gonna happen next year. From stress relief to extra credit to bringing the community together, this party blossomed into an amazing experience.