Green Club in Action: Vertical Gardens, Pollinators, and Recycling at Garden City High School
Project Summary
Students at Garden City High School’s Green Club built and maintained vertical gardens, developed a pollinator garden, composted organic waste, and improved school-wide recycling — connecting biology concepts to real-world environmental stewardship while developing leadership and collaboration skills.
Detailed Story
Mitchelle advises the Green Club at Garden City High School in Kansas, where 44 students spent the 2025–2026 school year taking hands-on ownership of their school’s sustainability practices. Working in the school building and greenhouse spaces, students created and maintained vertical gardens growing vegetables and herbs, developed a pollinator garden to support bees and butterflies, composted organic materials, and worked to improve recycling throughout the campus. Students researched native pollinator plants, designed gardening systems, monitored plant growth over time, and educated their peers about sustainability and recycling practices. The project tied directly to biology curriculum, giving students a real-world context for concepts they were studying in class. The Green Club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, and participation in the Kansas Green Schools program provided additional structure and recognition for their work. One of the biggest highlights was watching students develop genuine pride and ownership over what they were building. Students noted that balancing garden maintenance and recycling routines against busy schedules and unpredictable weather was a challenge, but they solved problems collaboratively and adapted as needed. As one student put it, “I liked that we were doing something real that could help the environment and our school.” Another added, “It was fun to work together outside instead of only sitting in class.” By the end of the year, students were noticeably more confident talking about sustainability, agriculture, and environmental stewardship — and had created spaces that the broader school community could enjoy.
Impact Statement
44 students developed hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, composting, and recycling; created functional vertical and pollinator gardens on school grounds; increased campus-wide recycling participation; and strengthened peer education around environmental stewardship. Students made meaningful connections between biology concepts and real-world environmental challenges.