The Garden Club members help plan, plant, and maintain the school’s gardens beyond the bus loop. Established during the 2022-2023 school year, the club encourages teamwork, responsibility, and a deeper appreciation for nature.
Angel Cunanan
What is your role?
I’m a board member of the Garden Club. I participate in the board member meetings to discuss what activities we will do with everyone. This year, I have helped around the garden, shared my ideas, and planned our Valentine’s fundraiser. I have collaborated and led members in our activities.
Why did you join the Garden Club?
I joined this Garden Club because I love plants and flowers. I wanted to learn about gardening.
What is your favorite part of the Garden Club?
My favorite part of the Garden Club is working with the members outside in the garden. I love how we all get along and help each other out.
What has been your favorite experience in the Garden Club (this year or past years)?
My favorite experience in the Garden Club is the Valentine’s fundraiser. I enjoyed presenting my ideas and making them happen! I also enjoyed creating the [pipe cleaner] flowers!
If someone asked you about the Garden Club or wanted to join, what would you tell them?
Join!! We are always accepting new members. You can gain and improve skills, meet new people, and get community service hours!
Aiezhya Lei Gloria
What is your role?
I am a board member. I plan what the meetings will look like with all the other Gardening club members.
Why did you join the Garden Club?
I wanted to join Gardening Club because I’ve always had a big interest in gardening. My grandparents were farmers in the Philippines, my mom and dad care for our garden outside our home, and I myself have found joy in caring for plants and seeing them grow over the seasons.
What is your favorite part of the Garden Club?
My favorite part of Gardening Club is the tasks that we do in the garden, even the little things like sifting soil, planting seedlings, and choosing plants to plant over the months. I love planning it out with the club and seeing our progress!
What has been your favorite experience in the Garden Club (this year or past years)?
My favorite experience in Gardening Club was helping set up our greenhouse. It’s the first greenhouse we ever built at Salem! I also loved making pipe cleaner flowers to sell for our flower fundraiser this year! It was very fun making pipe cleaner flowers and seeing the success we made in sales!
If someone asked you about the Garden Club or wanted to join, what would you tell them?
I would tell them that [the] Gardening Club is so fun, and you can build great friendships with people! Anyone can help out, no matter what their experience in gardening is, which is what I love about the club!
Landon Plaster
What is your role?
[I am a] Board member. I lead in the garden and give ideas in Monday meetings.
Why did you join the Garden Club?
I was bored, and I wanted to learn about gardening.
What is your favorite part of the Garden Club?
[My favorite part is] talking to people and seeing plants progress.
What has been your favorite experience in the Garden Club (this year or past years)?
[My favorite experience is] seeing the plants grow.
If someone asked you about the Garden Club or wanted to join, what would you tell them?
Join if you want, don’t join if you don’t like labor or communicating.
Sebastian Parham
What is your role?
I am a board member. I don’t exactly play as big a role as the others when it comes to decision making, and I basically am an ideas guy and extra muscle or grunt work. Which is fine, I don’t particularly want special treatment, and I enjoy doing the same work as everyone else when I get the chance. But what I do is the same as all board members, and we help oversee the club and help Ms. Young by keeping people on task. I personally end up doing a lot of heavy lifting and physically strenuous stuff, and not so much leading people. I mainly just encourage people and do my best to put everyone in a good mood, and try to give everyone a voice in the club through me.
Why did you join the Garden Club?
Originally, I just wanted to help Ms. Young, but now I genuinely enjoy my time with the people I work with and want to help them as much as I can, even if I miss a lot of meetings because of other things.
What is your favorite part of the Garden Club?
All the physical work I do where I don’t have to think all that much. It’s basically my way of building muscle while I’m not walking everywhere or raking leaves. It sounds boring or daunting, but I find it pretty fun.
What has been your favorite experience in the Garden Club (this year or past years)?
The Valentine’s Day fundraiser was fun, even if I didn’t get to do all that much because of my schedule. I really enjoyed learning how to make pipe cleaner flowers and might make some myself later to give to my girlfriend. And I guess the parties are fun too, even though they’re pretty rare.
If someone asked you about the Garden Club or wanted to join, what would you tell them?
BE CONSISTENT. DO NOT FLAKE.
The Garden Club meets every Tuesday to prepare and plant seedlings, sift soil, pull weeds, learn about gardening, and much more.
