School garden gets seed money from grant

Last year, a small, raised school garden at TCU Montgomery Elementary/Middle School provided fresh chives, rosemary, parsley, peppers, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce to school lunches. That healthy garden concept grew closer to reality for TCU High School, thanks to a state grant to establish a school garden.

At its regular meeting on Monday, TCU Business Manager Robin Pikal told the board the district received a Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) grant for $3,834 for a school garden at the high school.

Board members Deb Struckman and Michelle Borchardt, who sit on the district’s Wellness Committee, said they have been exploring the possibility of adding a school garden in the back of the high school and were excited at what it will bring to the district.

Borchardt said receiving the money and involving the students in its development is a great opportunity. 

“We (Wellness Committee) have meet several times and visited the site. This is a neat and exciting opportunity for kids to be involved in. The grant provides plenty of funds to help get this going,” she said.

Struckman said help from the district’s food service company, Taher, Inc. and director Amy Sauter, who worked on the elementary school garden last summer, has been invaluable.  

“They really took the lead to get us moving on it,” Struckman said. “It is really a great opportunity for so many people to be involved in.”

To read more about what the board did, pick up the May 12 Montgomery Messenger.