A ground breaking ceremony for the James Stephens Reflecting Garden was hosted at James Stephens Montessori last Thursday, which was funded by a grant from Anne’s Garden and donations.
To break the ground, each homeroom class sent one student as its representative. The garden is named in honor of James Stephens, who was an uneducated pastor from the Ville Platte area who saw the future needs of Ville Platte schooling.
He recognized that better education, equals a better work force, which in turned equals better lives.
During the special ceremony, JSM’s Librarian Jan Veillon shared, ““We thought about calling it a memorial garden, but we soon realized so many of us are still alive. We are still teaching or involved in helping children in many different ways. So the word ‘reflecting’ seemed a better fit.”
Veillon then went in to the many reasons why JSM faculty and students have stared this garden.
“We have a list of reasons why we are building this garden now,” she said. “At the top has to be the honoring of strong men and women, many of whom were educators, but some were not, that led to the community school we know today.”
The second reason, she said, “is the children.”
Veillon stated, “The students in all grades have science lessons on plants and life cycles so they will be able to have hands-on experiences. For many of our students, having life sustaining fruits and vegetables in a garden, that they have to plant, and then nurture until harvest, is a new experience for them.”
Having this garden, Veillon said she believes “will give then the opportunity to learn how to survive on foods they can grow and eat.”
She continued, “The outdoor classroom space, the hands-on experiences, the respecting of our earth and her resources, pride in ‘their garden,’ are all reasons we are working to make this a reality for James Stephens Montessori and this community.”
According to the school’s principal, Melanie Bordelon, an account has been set up at JSM to accept donations to the garden in general or donations in the name of someone special. The account has been started in the name of past teachers and administrators, including, James Stephens, Mark Latigue, Norwood Davis, Queen Esther Thomas.
To donate, all one must do is put whatever amount of money they wish to donate in an envelope, with the person’s name on the front, and the school will make sure that money is spent as the donor wishes.
JSM also thanked St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church and Pastor Herman Arvie, for the first large donation to “help light the path of our children” as they make their way in this world, and Mayor Jennifer Vidrine, who was the first James Stephens Elementary alumni to donate by offering gardening help and a beautiful garden bench.
Honored guests at the event were Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine, 4-H Representative Todd Fontenot, Evangeline Parish School Board Supervisor Linda LaFleur, Community Garden Member and former James Stephens Elementary teacher Velma Davis, former James Stephen Principal Janice Soileau, former James Stephens Principal Mark Latigue, Joyce Latigue, current James Stephens Principal Melanie Bordelon, current James Stephens Assistant Principal Chenile Tezeno, James Stephens teacher Amanda Vidrine, James Stephens Librarian and grant writer Jan Veillon, and James Stephens teacher and garden curator Mike Fontenot.
Image
ELIZABETH WEST Managing Editor