Teacher: We’ve been dreaming and planning for this for over a year.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – “Healthy eating, healthy living and being sustainable,” says Henrika Bates, Special Education teacher at Southeast Middle School. Those are the lessons a group of students who call themselves, “The Green Giants,” at Southeast Middle School are learning through a garden. “We have been dreaming and planning on this for over a year,” says Bates. Bates says the project started last year. The first harvest included carrots and romaine lettuce. “Some of our kids had never heard of romaine lettuce, so it was like here taste it, taste it without salad dress and then try some of the toppings that go on it,” says Bates. The excitement called for a salad party. “It was really cool to see them going out and getting the things that they had planted and grown,” says Stacey Whitaker, Principal. Principal Whitaker says, healthy eating habits among students are growing. “I guess it’s amazing, I even go to the cafeteria at lunch to get a salad and all the salads are gone,” says Whitaker. Crandall Sims reporting,”As you see right now, there are just 2 raised beds, but this weekend this garden is getting an overhaul… making room for 10 more beds, 12 in all.” But the added beds are more than just a school project. According to Principal Whitaker, nearly 76% of students here are on free or reduced lunch. With the added beds in the garden students will be able to take the produce home. But even now with just two beds, the garden has students beaming. “They’re excited they want to go outside and look at it everyday, they want to go outside and water it,” says Bates. Soon, they will have much more to water and look after. But they’ll have the entire school to help, from the science and math departments to english and arts. “This is going to touch every aspect of the academics we are doing here at SouthEast Middle School,” says Bates.