Vegetable gardens, fruit trees, worm farms, and even a lizard garden are just a few of the new additions to Discovery School’s expanded eco-system following a Treemendous School Makeover.
The school is one of 4 throughout the country to win an outdoor makeover this year, thanks to the Mazda Foundation and Project Crimson.
More than 250 members of the Whitby community, including teachers, students and family members, lent a hand for the last of 3 working bees to complete the project.
Teacher Natalie Packer, who project managed the transformation, says the makeover has been a huge community effort.
"So many different people and organisations have worked on the project, it has been truly amazing" she says.
Local businesses and organisations donated goods and services free of charge. Even Rimutaka Prison pitched-in, donating more than 700 trees and plants from its nursery and a number of kit-set bird feeders and weta hotels.
Discovery School caretaker Aaron Semmens, who spent a lot of time on the project, says the community’s sense of connection with the school is now muchbetter.
"It is not just a school anymore, it’s their place," Aaron says.
The kids have really given to the project, Natalie says. “They feel invested in it and will see it as a sort of legacy when they leave the school."
Natalie says the new spaces will be used every day by teachers and students for learning and investigation, morning tea, lunch breaks and much more.
"This term I’m going to take a group of 5 year olds and we will build a strawberry garden," she says. “That’s just one example of a great learning opportunity."
Well known entomologist and Project Crimson trustee Ruud Kleinpaste, also known as The Bugman, recently spent a day with staff and students to encourage them to make the most of their new space.
The new trees and plants will now be roped-off for a few weeks to allow them to settle-in before being exposed to little feet.
When she first applied for the $10,000 Treemendous School Makeover, Natalie says she didn’t expect to win.
"This crazy idea that we had worked,” she says. “It was really hard work but I highly recommend it."
Asked how many hours have been put in by the school and community to create the garden, Natalie says she cannot not even count that high.
Go to the Treemendous website to apply for the 2017 Treemendous School Makeovers.