On Friday morning, first-grade students brought their yearlong composting efforts to life by filling raised garden beds with nutrient-rich soil they helped create. The event marked the launch of the Golden Bear Garden—a sustainability project rooted in global education, environmental stewardship, and collaboration with the PEAK Leadership Institute. Throughout the year, students have explored how food waste can be transformed into something meaningful, and this hands-on experience brought their learning full circle.
The project has been years in the making, inspired by a Round Square conference attended by Kaycie Merrihew, Middle School science teacher, and HIES alumni Sam Studley '24. Now a freshman at Georgia Tech studying to become an environmental engineer, Sam returned to campus to speak to the students and assist with the garden build. Last year, he completed a Global Capstone project on composting, helping lay the groundwork for this initiative, ultimately carried out by Ms. Merrihew and Middle School PEAK students. Be sure to visit the Golden Bear Garden, located between the Lower School and the Humanities Building!