HOUSTON — Fourth graders at Barbara Bush Elementary in Houston moved the classroom outdoors last fall by creating a butterfly garden.
The project was lead by Barbara Shepherd, a Master Gardener volunteer specially trained by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in Harris County.
“The children learn so much more when the subject they’re studying is real, and they can participate in the progress,” Shepherd said. “They learn the life cycle of the butterfly, what type of plants attract butterflies and nourish them. Then they put that knowledge to work — plant the garden and nurture the larvae and caterpillars.”
Shepherd’s enthusiasm for her project is typical of the commitment to service by volunteers participating in special Master Gardener study groups in Harris County.
The county already enjoys one of the largest Master Gardener programs in the state. Volunteers sign up for Extension courses on horticultural topics and in return pledge to donate a number of hours to community service. Each year, nearly 600 Master Gardeners volunteer more than 27,500 hours. Based on national figures for the value placed on volunteer service, that’s an annual gift worth $338,000 to the people of Harris County.
In 1996, Shepherd and 45 other Master Gardeners received in- depth training, either in a study group on vegetables or another on annuals and perennials. In return, they committed to more ambitious community service projects.
“This program has given the Master Gardeners more creative outlets for their volunteer energy, such as neighborhood development, adult education, and environmental improvement,” said Tom LeRoy, the county’s Extension agent for horticulture who directs the Master Gardener program.
“In the initial Master Gardener program, service time is mostly earned through telephone counseling and work in our test gardens, which is important experience but limited in creativity.”
Examples of the volunteer contributions of some of Shepherd’s classmates include:
An elementary school beautification project in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood using plants native of Mexico and the Texas valley.
A publication on plants that thrive in the Gulf Coast’s sweltering summer heat.
A slide presentation on cottage gardens, small gardens and container gardening and a presentation on “Year-Round Color in Houston.”
A demonstration garden of drought-tolerant annuals and perennials at a residence for disabled adults.
The study program is almost completely volunteer-driven. Committees of volunteers wrote and developed the class materials, arranged for the speakers and coordinated facilities. They received support in developing the curriculum from Extension specialist Dr. Bill Welch and Dr. Sam Cotner, head of the department of horticulture at Texas A&M.
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