It is no secret that one of MCLC's most popular classes is gardening. The students love all of their other special classes as well: woodworking, music, gym, and computer science. Even though these specials are part of the national curriculum, they are not typically taught at other schools on Lagonav, so the students at MCLC view them as a privilege.
MCLC recognizes that in order to receive a well-rounded education, students must be exposed to a variety of subjects and skills. Teaching students the best practices of gardening for their environmental conditions is not only a fun activity, but also a valuable life skill. MCLC has several vegetable plots on its campus, giving every grade a chance to tend to their particular garden beds and watch their crops flourish throughout the year. The parent committee then sells most of the fruits and vegetables to the local women who run a catering business. These women sell by the plate, providing breakfast for the students each morning as well as breakfast and lunch for any teacher trainings or meetings. It is an all-around beneficial relationship!
The school gardens tend to suffer during the dry season (December-March) despite students bringing in gallons of water by hand each week. MCLC is planning on installing a solar pump on the local well to bring water up to the school gardens. This will allow for 4 planting seasons instead of just three, allowing the school to harvest vegetables throughout the year!
