Our joy in gardening

“Dili gyud nako malimtan tung Grade 4 nato nga vegetable garden. Maka-proud kaayo to (I will never forget the garden we made back in 4th grde. That made me feel so proud).”

“Murag mao gyud ni atong expertise ba - magbuhat og vegetable garden (This must be our expertise, creating a vegetable garden).”

“Nindota, Ms. Althea uy! Manubo gyud atoang mga ginatanom (This is so wonderful, Ms. Althea! Whatever we plant, grows).”

It’s always music to my ears when my students find joy and pride in what they do — and gardening at that!

Last September 2022, we first planted camote (sweet potato) tops to help provide for the camote tops juice that Tuburan serves for our morning snacks. Last January, we prepared another garden bed for batong (string beans) and okra (ladies’ fingers). And, just today, we got to harvest some string beans already! “Sabay ta maghatod sa kitchen ha. Parehas sa una (let's bring our harvest to the kitchen together, just like before)," said one 8th grader. 

Looking at these students and reminiscing our gardening moments through the years make me smile. It’s beautiful how gardening truly helped them strengthen their will, teamwork, and appreciation in the life that is in Nature, and in growing their own food.We look forward to bringing more of our fresh harvest to the kitchen!

-Althea May Gullos

(Ms. Althea May Gullos is the Class Gumamela Main Teacher from their first to eighth grade. She is currently on her sabbatical leave after her class graduated from grade school last May 2023.)