New garden will help Kirk Elementary School students learn valuable lessons

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- This is the one time when students can get their hands dirty without getting into trouble.

A group of kindergarten students at Kirk Elementary has a new garden thanks to one of their teachers who asked for donations from Home Depot.

"It was a lot of material that wasn't really a big deal for us to donate. So when I responded I told her we would be more than happy to donate the materials but we would also like to come out and build the garden," said Joel Vasquez, Home Depot Operations Manager.

The materials included tools, soil, and plants, saving the school hundreds of dollars.

Students and their families will soon enjoy fresh strawberries, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Teachers hope the students will learn about nutrition, quality of life and hard work.

"It is really important. A lot of our parents work the fields but what we have learned is our children just don't understand what that entails of what their parents are actually doing," said Paige Addington, Kirk Elementary School Teacher.

Monday was just the first day of working in the new garden for kindergarten students.

They along with first through third-grade students will help take care of the plants on a daily basis.

Parents are being encouraged to help out as well.

"Our hope is that we eventually will have enough space for parents to do so summer gardening. So they would have small plots here in the summer when the kids aren't in school, said Addington.