Seniors Jade De Anda, Maricruz Carmona, and Ismael Chaidez have been dedicating their time to creating a small vertical garden setup in the Lindsey Library Media Center (LLMC). The project, developed as part of their Sustainable Urban Agriculture class, aims to bring both environmental awareness and community impact into the school.
“Our main purpose is to help raise money for both organizations, FFA and Stef’s Corner, while spreading awareness about mental health and plant education,” Jade explained.
Students in the class are required to complete a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), a project designed to benefit the community while supporting an environmental goal. For Jade and her team, that meant transforming part of the library into a growing, living space.
“The goal is to make our project into a big fundraiser,” Jade said. “I’m a current senior, so I really hope this project will continue and help incoming students.”
The project has also been supported by Head Librarian Hannah Fiedler, whose flexibility made the setup possible.
“I think it’s an adorable and exciting initiative,” Fiedler said. “I like having plants in the library, bringing some nature from outdoors, indoors. Being able to support those students while also creating greater environmental awareness is really important.”
Fiedler added that the garden helps enhance the library environment while connecting students across different programs.
“I love beautifying the space and bringing something natural and growing into it,” she said. “Any student coming into the library can see it. It’s also a nice way to connect with the horticulture class.”
The project has already sparked curiosity among students. “You don’t see plants growing in the library every day,” Jade said. “I’ve had students come up to me asking what the planter is for. It’s also interesting because we’re growing them in different mugs.”
Although still in its early stages, Jade hopes the project will expand in the future. “Right now, since it’s just getting started, it might not have a big impact yet,” she said. “But if we turn it into a larger event or even a club, we could eventually reach out to other schools.”
For Jade, one of the most rewarding parts has been watching the plants grow in an unconventional space. “I absolutely loved seeing our sunflowers make so much progress,” she said. “It’s been really exciting to learn how to grow things in unusual spaces.”
