JR Stalkfleet (left) digs a hole for a tomato plant in the new outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on April 22 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

JR Stalkfleet (left) digs a hole for a tomato plant in the new outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on April 22 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Outdoor classroom in Everett offers kids lessons ‘in the dirt’

The Tomorrow’s Hope program is a chance “to see the amount of work that goes into getting a salad,” says a trainer.

EVERETT — Brennan Dreghorn, 8, spent last Friday afternoon planting tomatoes, lettuce and sugar snap peas. It was Brennan’s first day in the new garden and outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center.

“This is one of the first times they have gotten to get out and in the dirt this year,” Tomorrow’s Hope trainer Amanda Slingluff said. “They’re really excited.”

Students celebrated the garden’s grand opening on Earth Day in Everett. Tomorrow’s Hope Director Mandy Cheever said the center plans to use it as an outdoor classroom to teach lessons in science, nutrition and sustainability for pre-K and school-aged students up to 12.

“They’ll also be working on their fine-motor skills with their hands, getting in there and planting with the dirt,” Cheever said. “They will be learning cooperation with other students. There are a lot of things we can work on in an outdoor classroom with them.”

Landscapers from GroundWorks spent a week building the garden in an area previously used for storage. They removed weeds and garbage, and designed and built raised garden beds, GroundWorks Director Jim Gabriel said.

“This garden area has been an (eyesore) for a little while,” Gabriel said. “We wanted to do something to enhance it.”

Tomorrow’s Hope and GroundWorks are social enterprises under the nonprofit HopeWorks. The mission-driven businesses double as job training programs for the nonprofit.

JR Stalkfleet holds a plant while he waits for a hand trowel in the new outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on April 22 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

JR Stalkfleet holds a plant while he waits for a hand trowel in the new outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on April 22 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

The landscapers plan to return about once per month to teach the students about caring for the plants. Gabriel said they’ll teach the kids about “gardening, plants and what it takes to grow food.” Derik Meredith, lead maintenance for GroundWorks, said the most important lessons for students to remember are pruning and watering.

“I’m hoping with GroundWorks doing a mentor program with them, they learn not only about plants but what (Gabriel) and his crew do throughout the day,” Cheever said.

Slingluff said students can learn about predator-prey dynamics by observing spiders in the garden. Rainy days might prompt a lesson on the water cycle, as students see how the water affects their plants, then evaporates into the clouds.

“The garden is just an amazing spot for any kind of lesson, but especially the sciences and watching these plants grow over the course of a year,” Slingluff said. “Part of the process is some of these plants aren’t going to live. That’s an important lesson, too. You have to learn how to care for living things and watch them grow in different ways.”

Brennan Dreghorn waters new plants in the new outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on April 22 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Brennan Dreghorn waters new plants in the new outdoor classroom at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on April 22 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Slingluff said growing vegetables also gives children an opportunity to connect with their food.

“This is an opportunity for them to see the amount of work that goes into getting a salad,” Slingluff said. “It doesn’t just appear. It has to be dug out of the ground, and harvested and grown. It creates that appreciation for their food as well as the workers who devote their lives and livelihood to growing food for us.”

Children may use food from the garden in cooking classes.

“We’re not just growing the food to waste,” Cheever said. “We want the kids to experience it.”

Katie Hayes: katie.hayes@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @misskatiehayes.

Katie Hayes is a Report for America corps member and writes about issues that affect the working class for The Daily Herald.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Firefighters respond to a 911 call on July 16, 2024, in Mill Creek. Firefighters from South County Fire, Tulalip Bay Fire Department and Camano Island Fire and Rescue left Wednesday to help fight the LA fires. (Photo provided by South County Fire)
Help is on the way: Snohomish County firefighters en route to LA fires

The Los Angeles wildfires have caused at least 180,000 evacuations. The crews expect to arrive Friday.

x
Edmonds police shooting investigation includes possibility of gang violence

The 18-year-old victim remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River. Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council approves water, sewer rate increases

The 43% rise in combined water and sewer rates will pay for large infrastructure projects.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Riley Boyd, 6, left, and sisters Vivienne Boyd, 3, ride a sled together down a hill at Anderson Center Field on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County shouldn’t expect snow and cold to leave any time soon

Residents can expect a reprieve from the snow until possibly this weekend. Colder than normal temperatures are expected to remain into next week.

Modern DNA tech comes through again for Everett police in 1989 murder case

Recent advances in forensic genealogy led to the suspect’s arrest in Clark County, Nevada.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.