Kilteevan National School in partnership with Kilteevan Tidy Towns were lucky enough to have been selected by Energia GIY as a successful entrant in their “Community Classroom Campaign”. Supported by the Tomar Trust, the Community Classroom initiative aims to establish, support and fund a network of community gardens around Ireland over the next three years that directly engage with primary schools and provide outdoor, living classrooms for pupils, staff and community members.

The site for the Community Classroom is a piece of land currently lying idle behind the school-grounds, which, when finished, will have raised beds full of thriving produce and of course, a hen-house. Due to Covid19 School Closures and other unforeseen delays the resilient staff and pupils of Kilteevan School readjusted their sails and took a slightly different route towards the final destination! Following consultation, Kilteevan Tidy Towns Youth Liaison Officer reassured everyone it would be possible to sow and grow a whole host of fruit, vegetables and herbs on the school-grounds, ready to be relocated to the Community Classroom as soon is feasible.

All pupils from Junior Infants to Sixth Class were involved in the sowing process in March 2021. Onions have been sown in window boxes, early potatoes were sown in laundry tubs, while peas and herbs were sown in compostable pots. The ‘Star of the Show’ was the brand new Vegepod, which can be wheeled around the schoolyard for optimal sunlight. It is now home to lettuce, onions, chives, spinach, potatoes, strawberry plants and turnip snowball seeds. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and happiness of the children when engaged in sowing and growing tasks following not one but two unprecedented school years.