At the heart of Bailey Middle School's commitments to sustainability, students and volunteers are quite literally getting their hands dirty. In a recent article published by the City of Austin, the school has once again captured a Bright Green Future Grant, this time to the tune of $3,000. These designated funds are the driving force behind Bailey's new wicking garden beds, designed to expand the school’s already flourishing Garden to Cafe program.
Mike Berryman, a lingering spirit at Bailey long after his daughters graduated, is the champion of this green initiative, he's been at it for years, because as he puts it, "Some people golf. This is what I do," he told the City of Austin. The new garden beds are fashioned from repurposed Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) Totes, a move that snatches plastic from the jaws of landfills and puts it to use in the cultivation of not only plants but young minds too. As the schooldays dwindled, Berryman was seen, alongside a group of students, cutting IBC totes, prepping the nowhere-near-finished garden for the onslaught of summer.
The hands-on approach reaches students in unexpected ways. Six-grader Quincy, caught mid-saw through an IBC tote, reveals that the garden exposure broadens his horizons, "I get to experience different kinds of food and cultures. I get to experience different flavors and feel what it feels like to be a farmer," he explained to the City of Austin. The sentiment is mirrored in Thomas, a student who's found a unique reprieve from the usual classroom setting amongst the garden beds, he appreciates the change of pace, stating "It’s something I’ve never experienced ever before because usually we’re just in the classroom learning. I get to use some of my energy, be one with nature, and also just hang out with some of my friends while being productive in the garden."
But this isn't some whimsical, once-off project that disappears with the setting sun; it's just the beginning and if anything, Berryman is only ramping up efforts. According to the City of Austin, there are plans in the pipeline to add both a shed and a shade structure to the garden, all of this is made possible due to the continuous support from the Bright Green Future Grants Program, which encourages Mike and his team to "dream up projects." With the school season concluding, it's clear that Bailey isn't just growing vegetables, but a sustainable, vibrant community as well.
