April 5, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Members of Center Hill Masonic Lodge #77 presented a $200 check to DeKalb Middle School Friday in support of its student garden program.
Making the presentation were Lodge Master Don Adamson, Senior Warden Dustin Estes, Junior Warden Danny Pirtle, and member Mike Conley. Receiving the donation were Suzette Barnes, DMS Positive Behavior Support Teacher, along with Principal Caleb Shehane and Assistant Principal Teresa Jones.
The DMS garden program began last school year as a way to show sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students, especially those who have never been exposed to a garden, how to grow fruits and vegetables.
“We really appreciate this donation from Center Hill Masonic Lodge #77,” said Ms. Barnes. “This money will go into the school garden account, and we will use it to buy seeds, vegetable plants, and other things we need to teach the students how to garden. We mainly do this through our special education department for students within the positive behavior support and CDC classrooms. They get to do more hands on with the garden because of scheduling but we also involve students who attend summer school or the STEAM program to give them an opportunity to participate. They get to plant and tend the garden and when the produce starts coming in the students have an opportunity to take it home with them. Last year we didn’t have any raised beds. We had a community member come out and till the land for us and we did a small in-ground garden and grew things like squash, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables but students wanted to add more things so this year we plan to have five raised beds,” said Ms. Barnes.