Duncan Middle School students are getting their hands dirty, but it’s all to make an improvement to the school.
The DMS life management class has taken on the school garden as a class project. Throughout the day, the class has been going outside to work in the garden, where students have removed the overgrown footpath, reworked the dirt and cut back the vegetation.
Mark Monteith is the class teacher. This is Monteith’s first year in the position; although, he previously taught choir at DMS before taking a year to work at the OSU Extension Office.
“The goal is to level it and to leave it better than we found it,” Monteith said about the school garden.
Although the students have been working on leveling out the garden and cutting back the overgrowth, the students’ gardening unit will also include them planting seeds and continuing to fix up the garden.
The class is also making plans for a campus-wide clean-up, Monteith said.
But the class goes beyond just the garden. So far this year, the students have already done some other projects, including weaving and sewing, and making dog toys.
Life management is designed to teach students the basics about life, including cooking, gardening, car repairing and how to use various tools. The class will also focus on safety and making work a focus.
The class was created to help students prepare for life.
