A new club has emerged on campus, hoping to beautify the campus with greenery while also educating students on the benefits of gardening. Agriculture Club, sponsored by Economics teacher Trent Thornton, is preparing to plant vegetables and flowers to decorate school grounds and instill admirable character traits in its members.

“If you want to grow anything, join the club. If you have a desire to grow flowers, join the club,” Thornton said, “We aren’t just going to grow vegetables in the courtyard.” The club has a variety of choices for anyone willing to join, participate, and learn.

Club President Ryan Allen said “Mr. Thornton’s got a whole workshop.” After seeing Thornton’s backyard garden workshop Allen decided to solicit Thornton’s help.

“I created [the club] when I first started gardening and thought it would be a good idea to start a club about agriculture and teach kids about it,” Allen said. Allen hopes to teach fellow students how to be self-sufficient and grow produce themselves, or at least where produce comes from.

“Our main goal was to see kids having fun and teach them about gardening,” Allen said. Students can learn about gardening as they laugh with their friends and dig in the dirt.

Junior Morgan Cleary said “I joined the club because all my friends joined and I wanted to learn how to plant plants.” Agriculture club is a place to have fun with friends as students beautify the campus.

“We want to sell our vegetables to the Puma Den and then hopefully farmer’s markets,” said Allen, “We’re going to use the money to buy soil, and build beds and gardens.” The money earned through sales will be used to further the club.

“I think it can flourish if they stick to it…and I know the student lead is really into it so I think it’s going somewhere,” Principal Dan Serrano said. The club aims to teach perseverance as the students continue to nourish and cultivate the plants. However, vegetables and flowers are not the only things that are going to be grown; students’ characters and individuality have the potential to also grow as they learn skills to tend for the environment that could last a lifetime.

Thornton concludes, “Get involved if you want to grow stuff.”