Photo by Barbara Davis
Wee wiggling worm wranglers from Washington Elementary School paid a visit to West Port Arthur Community Garden March 31, learning about worms and their effect on the garden from Master Gardener Kevin Pierce, a volunteer with United Way during the nonprofit’s Day of Caring.
Dozens of students gathered for a hands-on gardening lesson, worm release and planting, as part of the United Way of Mid and South Jefferson County’s partnership with the school’s Super Reader Program.
Pierce introduced the students to a composting unit, teaching them the benefits of natural fertilization, and the important role worms play in gardens. Several brave students dug in the compost unit to get a feel for the worms, while others hesitantly poked around at the critters with their fingers and sticks.
“Worms do not like the light,” said Pierce as he distributed thousands of worms for the students to add to the garden beds.
Students surrounded the beds one by one, following Pierce’s instruction.
“Ew, we don’t eat worms!” exclaimed first-grade student Amoriah Burnstine as she raised a single worm to the sky for close examination.
Burnstine and her classmates picked spots for their new spineless buddies, each digging deep trenches for their wiggly worm friends to rest.
After putting the worms to bed, Ellis Allen of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office of Jefferson County instructed the students on how to plant tomatoes to promote maximum root growth: on their side.
“I wonder if they will eat the tomatoes,” said first-grader Taylor Green, who pondered of how the tomatoes and worms would interact once the day ended.
The students’ day rounded out with a return to wash away the worm dirt and enjoy “Getting Rid of the Worms,” a story read by Alpha Kappa Alpha volunteer Leslie Walters.
Following storytime, each student received a book about worms and a bag of gummy worms, having made good on their promise not to eat the real ones.
— Barbara Davis, Staff Writer