Watering, weeding, composting and harvesting; this is the routine AHS students are following while maintaining the school garden throughout the summer.

“Last year and the years before Science National Honor Society has been working on the garden throughout the school year, but not during the summer,” rising senior K.L. Hoang said. “Now we have a compost going and organic produce growing that we didn’t have before.”

Hoang expanded the school garden with the help of history and psychology teacher Katherine Gould. He then later collaborated with the Green Atoms, AHS’ environmental club. Now Green Atoms members are volunteering in the morning of every other day throughout the entire summer to come and help maintain the garden.

“This is a great experience because we get to help out the environment and make our school even better,” rising junior and Green Atoms member Zoe Tran said.

Some of the plants that are currently being grown include tomatoes, lettuce, beans, snap peas, squash, flowers, herbs and a fig tree. The herbs, the lettuce and the snap peas are ready for harvesting, which the students who volunteer are welcome to take home and enjoy.

“These students are learning how beneficial locally grown food is and how they can grow their own,” Hoang said. “It is good to make people aware of where their food comes from.”

However, there are only a select few students who have shown their dedication and have been coming out to help out the garden on a regular basis.

“The garden looks beautiful, only if more people were able to come and help out, it would become a prettier environment there,” rising sophomore and Green Atoms’ officer Aniqa Rashid said.

Hoang’s and the Green Atoms’ ultimate goal with this garden is to incorporate the organic produce into the school lunch system for use in the cafeteria. Furthermore, any money raised from these food items will be used to fund more supplies to continue operating the garden throughout the school year.