Building a BEEutiful Future

January 14, 2022

Academics

GNS

The Middle School Round Square has been getting the Pemberton Woods Campus ready for bees! Students have started to build a bee garden just beside the Simpson Building.

Through rain and shine, students worked to dig out the garden, till the soil and place the plants. The plants came from the Beach Bee Garden, where many of these Middle School students had participated in the past.

Ms. Kim Waugh, Middle School Round Square Coordinator, said the initiative was student driven, and was an idea that was discussed last year with the Grade 6 Round Square group who were passionate about the idea.

“They really wanted to make this happen, so fast forward to this year we made it happen,” said Ms. Waugh.

Many of the Grade 7s took a keen interest in this project including Niamh and Aine who were instrumental in the Round Square’s plans for making the garden.

“We wanted to bring this to Pemberton Woods because it was really nice at the Junior School,” said Aine. “We wanted to help the bees because they pollinate and are so important.”

“There were a couple of us from the Beach Campus who participated in the Beach Bee Garden who remembered it,” added Niamh. “Also, for the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition, a couple of us made gardens too, so we liked the idea of a garden and thought it would be a cool and fun initiative to bring up here.”

The Middle School Round Square was able to collaborate with current Grade 5 members of the Beach Bee Garden, and 12 keen Grade 5s travelled to the Pemberton Woods Campus to help build the pollinator bed.

Wielding forks, shovels, snippers and a mattock, students removed turf and aerated soil, with a small group tasked with saving worms. The Beach Bee Garden started the plant stock for the new bed by harvesting lavender, rosemary, verbena, strawberries and oregano.

Many of the Grade 5s have expressed interest in continuing to work on the bed next year as they transition to Middle School! The bee garden is going to be an ongoing project that the Middle School Round Square will be maintaining with plans to add more plants.

In addition to the garden, the Middle School Round Square is working on other new initiatives including raising awareness and funds for animals affected by the floods and holding a hygiene drive. Keep an eye out for these upcoming initiatives!