In Gravesend, Brooklyn, a School Garden Thrives

School gardens are labors of love. They rely on committed stewards to provide consistent care while navigating student graduations, teacher transitions, and the growing season’s peak during summer break. At their best, these spaces can return dividends for student learning and engagement, but these achievements are never guaranteed.

One garden that has hit its stride despite these realities is at John Dewey High School in Gravesend, Brooklyn. Cared for by the school’s Gardening Club under the leadership of teacher Wade Moody, the club oversees an indoor hydroponic system, a school-wide composting initiative, and an outdoor garden with a view of Coney Island’s Wonder Wheel.

New York Restoration Project’s Gardens for the City program was proud to partner with the school in the fall of 2023 to renovate their outdoor space according to the Gardening Club’s vision. This beloved NYRP program works with community partners in some of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods to build or renovate gardens and other functional green spaces. NYRP provides the skill, time, materials, labor, and a year of horticultural and agricultural consultation for these projects, all at no cost to the partner.

We caught up with Moody, who has taught at the school for a dozen years and counting, to learn more about the experience of working with NYRP and how the partnership has helped deepen the Gardening Club’s existing enthusiasm and efforts over the past year.

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

 

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Why do you think that learning about plants and having garden experience is important for students?

Wade Moody: Being around plants is therapeutic. The students and I have decorated my classroom with potted plants and enjoy nurturing our collection and watching it grow. This hands-on experience makes scientific topics like photosynthesis and food webs more engaging and relevant, and the classroom environment just feels more pleasant with the presence of plants and hydroponic towers. It all creates a positive learning environment that’s essential for learning.

Tending plants is also important for helping educate students about the connection between diet and well-being. Students notice and appreciate the freshness of our herbs, and they often comment on the strong aroma when we cut basil. They’ve even mentioned comparing our fresh produce to the wilted herbs they see in the supermarket, and I explain to them that fresh produce is more nutritious than produce that has been sitting on a shelf for a long time. They seem to appreciate eating something flavorful that’s also good for them.

 

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How would you compare what you’re able to do with an outdoor garden to what you’re able to do indoors? 

WM: The outdoor experience is more engaging and enjoyable because it connects us to the seasons and provides a sense of anticipation. For me, it’s like a source of excitement, especially during the winter when I might feel down. Knowing that we have these activities to look forward to, like planting garlic and cover crops, is uplifting. The outdoor space also allows us to learn more about engaging with nature, like attracting pollinators with native plants. This understanding is more relevant in traditional gardening compared to hydroponics, which often relies on synthetic fertilizers. The outdoor garden also encourages sustainable practices like composting, which we can then use to enrich our beds.

Outdoor activities also provide a comfortable space for students to work together and get to know each other; they practice communication and teamwork. My students seem to enjoy being outside, especially when the weather is nice, and I’ve noticed they connect more when they’re not sitting at a desk. They’re working with each other, which is great for social and emotional learning.

What do you think attracts students to join Gardening Club? 

WM: Many students find Gardening Club a welcoming and inclusive environment, and a lot of them are excited by the process of growing something from seed to harvest. They’ve expressed enthusiasm about being able to pick produce from the garden and take it home, and in general, I think the garden club offers a mix of experiences that appeal to a wide range of personalities. Many members also bring their friends, which helps us grow. We also advertise our activities through channels like Instagram and posters around the building, which is definitely helpful in recruiting new members.

 

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Tell us about the process of planning and designing the outdoor space you envisioned with NYRP. What was that experience like?

WM: NYRP’s approach has always been collaborative and supportive. I initially envisioned an outdoor space with features like bird habitats, native perennials, and a shade structure. I also had my students design their ideal garden layout. We collectively selected the best designs in class, which NYRP then used as a basis for their design refinement and implementation.

Today, the garden’s overall design is a testament to NYRP’s genuine care and commitment to our vision. The Gardens for the City team reviewed our designs, provided feedback, and offered suggestions for improvement. Their thoughtfulness really alleviated our concerns about how best to enhance the space, and the detailed information and invaluable resources provided by NYRP Urban Agriculture staff in the months since will also be useful for years to come.

 

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Speaking of NYRP’s Urban Agriculture program, has there been a particular session over the past few months that was especially engaging for the Gardening Club?

WM: My students and I have been surprised by the ginger-growing tutorials. Learning to grow a tropical plant in New York City was super interesting! The harvest, too, was very rewarding; many students at John Dewey High School have connections to regions around the world where ginger is a popular ingredient. One student whose father makes sorrel brought in his recipe to our classroom. We followed the instructions using our ginger harvested from the garden, and it was delicious! It was so cool to see how this hands-on experience allowed students to connect their learnings to their cultural heritage.

Learning how and why to grow cover crops was also a great lesson from NYRP. The process connects with our composting efforts by demonstrating how plants can decompose and enrich the soil. Observing the cover crop grow tall and lush was also just really satisfying.

 

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Is there any aspect of the garden that you are particularly proud of?

WM: There’s so much I’m proud of, especially after years of hard work. The unwavering dedication and passion of the staff, students, and teachers—including one who generously contributed tomato plants from his father’s garden—have been instrumental in making the garden a success. It’s a beloved space for teamwork, learning, and community involvement for the entire school.

What’s your vision for the future of the garden?

WM: I would like involvement to increase even more. While some classes have utilized the space, I believe there’s even more potential. I also envision incorporating mushroom cultivation into the garden’s activities while continuing existing projects like composting. A crucial step in the future could also be installing a dedicated hose to help simplify watering. This would really streamline maintenance and help lower the barrier to entry for new volunteers to help care for the space.

 

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What advice might you have for someone who is interested in starting and stewarding a school garden?

WM: Personally, I tend to worry about student success in gardening. I want to provide them with all the tools they need to avoid failure, but I also recognize that this approach can be overly controlling.

I really appreciated the advice from one of NYRP’s Seasonal Urban Agriculture Coordinators, Angel Tobar, earlier this season. He encouraged the students and me to trust our instincts and not overthink what we’re doing. This advice resonates with me, and reminds me to prioritize enjoying the process over the outcome and to trust the students’ intuition in the garden.

Speaking of, I just really want to emphasize how much students can help lead and inspire with any gardening effort. Last year’s Gardening Club President comes to mind: she identified that food waste being discarded in the cafeteria was a significant environmental issue for our school. Despite the challenges and potential messiness in confronting this complicated problem, she took initiative to find an alternative and divert this food waste from the landfill. Thanks to her dedication, she helped establish a collaboration between the Gardening Club and the cafeteria staff, who started composting food scraps, and even visited the compost system at the school to learn more about the process.

Students have incredible potential, and it’s important to recognize and empower their passion and dedication. The resources provided by NYRP have felt like a well-deserved reward for my students’ incredible vision and efforts.

Check out NYRP’s Gardens for the City program if you would like to transform or renovate community green space in New York City.