Growing Gardeners

February 20, 2024

Laura Haddon
Spartanburg 4-H Youth Development

            Spartanburg County 4-H has partnered with Kids Upstate (formerly Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate) for almost twenty years.  Spartanburg 4-H provides STEM, Ag in the Classroom, and Healthy Lifestyles programs for the youth attending Kids Upstate afterschool and summer programs.

            This year Spartanburg 4-H was able to offer the Kids Upstate youth at Jesse Boyd Elementary School a special experience!  Spartanburg County Master Gardeners, Janet Behnke and Steva Kiser, volunteered to lead a Junior Master Gardener program for fifth graders at the school.

            Using the Junior Master Gardener curriculum developed by Texas A&M, Janet and Steva are leading hands-on activities that cover topics such as plant growth and development, soils and water, and life skills and career exploration.  In December, the youth created holiday greenery arrangements.  In the spring they will be planting vegetables and flowers in school’s raised beds.

            This partnership between Kids Upstate, Spartanburg 4-H, and Spartanburg Master Gardeners is giving youth the opportunity to grow their knowledge and love of gardening and helping them to cultivate green thumbs and good citizenship!