From Chicken Coop to Oasis: How Three 7th Graders Built a Sensory Garden

Thanks to a year of love and dedication from 7th graders, an abandoned chicken coop has found new life. Our students successfully transformed the unused space on the AAS campus into a welcoming community sensory garden. 

Designed to engage every sense, the garden features windchimes for sound, rosemary for scent, and mint for relaxation. It is open for studying, unwinding, and enjoying nature. 

Read the interview below to discover the inspiring “secret garden” story behind our 7th graders’ year-long journey. 

Girls, how did you come up with the idea for the Legacy Garden? 

It really all began when we noticed the Chicken Coop, and how it was a space on campus collecting dust and remaining unused. What started as a small 6th Grade Legacy Project quickly branched into a more long-term initiative after the school year ended. 

Can you tell us a bit about what’s in the garden and what you’ve built there? We’ve tried to create a “Sensory Garden”. A sensory garden is a space designed to have elements attuned to each sense. We wanted it to be a space for the community, to encourage faculty and students to enjoy our campus. 

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced over the course of this year-long project? Maybe the fact that it’s really hard to move your project forward, as every decision needs to be approved by someone. It involves a lot of communication and perseverance, which can be challenging when you’re trying to get your project started. 

Who helped you along the way? What kind of support did you receive? 

A lot of people assisted us, and we are extremely grateful for that. Our Service Coordinator, for one, really helped get our project up and running, and helped us contact, plan, and organize everything. The whole project wouldn’t have been possible without the gardening team, and the Facilities Manager, who not only gave us advice on purchases, but also helped plant, clear, and set up the garden. The school’s Leadership Team approved this project and gave us a budget, which we are very thankful for. And of course, our teachers helped us with materials, guidance, and supervision. 

Looking back over the past year, what is the biggest lesson you learned while bringing this garden to life? 

We all learned that the hardest part of any change, really, including our garden, is getting it started. Formulating a plan is the challenging part and can be really discouraging at times. But once you do all that work, it’s really nice to see your project pan out and how beautiful everything looks in the end. 

What is your hope or message for the people who will be using the garden?

We hope that others will also want to make a difference on our campus and help encourage the use of the outdoor spaces we already have – such as the outdoor classroom. And of course, we hope the community will enjoy our garden, and want to spend time there.