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Master gardeners highlight North Tapps school garden, call for continued support
Summary
Volunteers Michelle Preston and Kim Mace presented rapid growth of the North Tapps school garden—expanded beds, pollinator and sensory gardens, CTE ties, donations and planned greenhouse/orchard—and asked for continued grant and community support.
Two Pierce County Master Gardeners who volunteer in the district described how a revived school garden at North Tapps has become a hands-on CTE opportunity for students and a source of produce for the cafeteria and local food bank.
Michelle Preston, a parent and Master Gardener, said the project started with 12 raised beds in February 2024 and quickly expanded; the program now features a pollinator garden, a sensory path, a seed library, an earth spiral and student-made signage. She credited grants and donations — including hydro gardens from GoodRoots Northwest and a $500 Sharon Ballard grant from Pierce County Master Gardeners — and community partners such as McLendon's and Sumner Rotary for material and labor support. "The kids are so excited to be eating the food that they grew," Preston said.
Kim Mace, who volunteered on the project and whose children attended district schools, said the garden gives students hands-on lessons that connect to art, culinary classes and agriculture; the program has donated produce to food banks and plans to expand to an orchard and install a greenhouse to enable year-round plant starts and an elective horticulture class in the spring. The garden also hosted a Taste Washington Day and drew representatives from state agriculture programs and other partners.
Board members and the superintendent thanked the volunteers, noting the garden’s value for CTE connections and community engagement. The board did not take formal action but accepted the report and expressions of appreciation.
