Time for planting: Pupils usher in spring
By Denise Dick
Home Depot’s Boardman store donated the seeds for the event.
POLAND — First-graders Sophia Gawdyda and Vada Caliguiri discussed the virtues of watermelons versus cucumbers’ vices as they planted the seeds of both as North Elementary School welcomed spring.
“I don’t like cucumbers,” Vada, 6, offered.
“I love watermelon,” Sophia, 7, explained.
All North pupils spent part of an afternoon this week planting watermelon, cucumber, zucchini squash and pumpkin seeds donated by Home Depot’s Boardman store.
“If you put a pumpkin and watermelon together, you’d have a ...” Marissa Gordon, 7, prompted her classmates.
“A water pumpkin,” Sophia answered.
Principal Michael Masucci said the plants will sprout at school and the pupils will take them home to plant before the end of the school year.
Chris Martin, Home Depot assistant store manager, said the store has been contributing seeds and employees’ time for about three years.
Martin, who lives in Poland and spotted the school’s greenhouse in the courtyard one day while walking at the school with his son, called Masucci and asked to get involved.
“They’re the four easiest things to grow,” Martin said about the type of seeds.
The kids get the gratification of planting a seed and watching it grow, he said.
Store associates Maureen Conway, Roberta Renninger, Ashley King and Dawn Hughes donated their time to help the pupils with the planting, instructing them to use their fingers to poke a hole in the dirt for each seed.
At Conway’s table of kindergartners, none of the kids was anxious to plant squash.
“It’s disgusting,” Bryce Edison, 6, explained.
Like their first-grade counterparts, though, they all extended their hands for watermelon seeds.
Christin Murcko, Charley Kish, Eric Quimby and Christina Cole, all 6, and in kindergarten, and Amanda Miller, 10, and a fourth-grader, with the help of special education teacher Andrea Speece, also showed off the carrots, lettuce, peas, onions, beets and radishes that are shooting up in the school’s greenhouse.
“That’s a leaf,” said Charley, pointing to a bright-green plant.
“They’re peas,” Eric chimed in, adding that he likes the vegetable.
Charley registered his distaste for peas, though, making a face and shaking his head.
“We learned about roots,” Christina said.
When their turn came to plant, Christina received each seed in a cupped hand and carefully dumped it into the soil.
“I might as well take extra watermelon and extra cucumber seeds,” Amanda said. “We love watermelons and cucumbers.”