It didn't take Jaws long to adapt to his new home in Wickliffe.
With a splash, the colorful Japanese Koi fish was making playful
laps around the 18-foot waterfall garden that serves as a centerpiece
of All Saints of St. John Vianney Catholic School's best-kept
secrets: Its new garden.
Since last year, science and health teacher Renee Scafidi has
been developing plans for the interactive learning garden. Students
used to gaze out of their classroom windows to see the unkept
courtyard walled in the middle of the building. Scafidi said the
All Saints Little Flower garden, centered around a statue of St.
Therese Liseux, was overgrown with ivy and covered with only sparse
patches of grass.
The courtyard had been neglected for the last 20 years. So Scafidi
decided it was time for students to have hand in altering the
less-than-picturesque view into a thing of beauty.
Each class was assigned a project. Many students even came to
the school during summer vacation to help clear out debris in
the courtyard and prepare it for the planting.
On Friday, classes got to take turns introducing Koi fish to
the pond surrounded by stacked rocks and equipped with a running
waterfall. Students insisted Scafidi have a chance to choose her
own fish to put in. Using a net to transfer the fish is the ideal
method. But seventh-grader Jay Barbis opted to scoop Jaws out
of the cooler with his hands and let him loose in the pond. "It
didn't squirm," Jay said.
Some students, like seventh-grader Alyssa Laturell, came across
some unexpected visitors while planting violas along the edge
of the courtyard.
"Eww, a worm," Alyssa,12, of Mentor, exclaimed while
digging in the dirt.
Scafidi said the project was named All Saints Secret Garden
because the secluded area is hidden from everyone outside of the
school. However, the secluded spot also created its share of problems.
Loads of dirt and mulch had to be spilled over the high building
walls with a crane and rocks had to be carried in through the
building.
Everything from fish to plants to the soil were donated from
parents and community members. An anonymous donor also provided
$7,000 for the project.
Sixth-grader Jacob Lubbe, 11, of Mentor, and his brother, seventh-grader
Ryan, 12, were two of the students who volunteered during the
summer, Jacob served as a human weight, holding the rocks around
the waterfall in place while dirt was filled in around them. "I
was the king of the waterfall," he joked.
Seventh-grader Greg Kampman was among the crew of students who
moved mulch and dirt for the garden this summer. The 12-year-old
Mentor resident thinks project a1so teaches students teamwork.
"We learned that we have to have people to help us. We cannot
do everything ourselves." Greg said. "I'm happy to do
it. I would want to bring my kids here to show them, if it's still
around."
Each class will take turns from year to year: rotating their
projects so they learn various science related lessons from the
garden. Last year, seventh-graders helped construct a walkway
bridge that sits by the pond while sixth-graders oversaw the waterfall
garden.
Scafidi said teachers also can incorporate the garden into other
lessons as well as science. Kindergartners will create the Teddy
Bear Picnic Area to help illustrate one of the books they read
-"The Teddy Bear's Picnic." First-graders will plant
a pumpkin patch in the spring and will make math lessons out of
counting seeds and measuring marigolds. Fourth-graders are creating
an Ohio History Garden to go along with their social studies curriculum.
Among the plants in their state tribute garden are red Dianthus
in honor of the state flower - the red carnation, flax and cotton
seed and lavender, which was a common garden item for Ohio settlers.
Fourth-grader Ryan Mills said lavender often was used by settlers
to scent their soap and clothes. "It just teaches you about
things that people used a long time ago," the 9-year-old
Kirtland resident said. "We learned a lot about the first
people in Ohio." Fifth-graders, with the help of teacher
Danielle Blansette, also have set up a weather station on the
top of the building. They will monitor the outdoor conditions
and report them during the school's morning announcements each
day.....
Scafidi's mission is to show students that science isn't hard,
it's a part of everyday life. "A garden is a wonderful place
to learn about life, cooperation, sharing and working and friendship,"
the teacher said. "I hope All Saints' Secret Garden will
inspire both the students and the teachers. "
allsaints@oh.rr.com 
Hard
at Work
Pulling
Weeds 
