Raking up new plans for the Secret Garden

Brian Fry, News Editor

It’s not a secret anymore that seniors Kellen Amble, Ben G., and Josh Henderson are working on fixing up the Secret Garden. The group of three started work on the garden the week before Thanksgiving break with approval of assistant principal Steve Evans and principal Andrea Markert.

“Earlier this year I sat out there a couple times, and it was absolutely beautiful out there. Perfect weather. Perfect setting,” Ben G. said. “Like it was a good spot to just go out there and chill for a little. Very relaxing, very quiet, just a little escape.”

Amble and Henderson were chosen to help Ben G. out in this project because of their work ethic and love of the outdoors.

“Sometimes we don’t all have the best grades in school, but when it comes to working outside of school we have the best work ethic at this school,” Ben G. said. “Kellen’s been working at McDonald’s for four years, and he’s made plenty of money and done plenty of things. And same with Josh. Josh is actually an Eagle Scout as well, and that just shows how hard he works.”

Amble was forced to go outside by his parents when he was young. Every day of the week he was working outside or playing outside.

“I’ve been working outside since the moment I could walk,” Amble said. “I was basically raised in the woods…like a wolf.”

The group wanted to improve on the work that some other students had done in Garden Club.

“It should be a place for students to not only relax but for them to find beauty in our concrete world,” Henderson said.

Some major plans that the group hopes to accomplish include laying down new mulch and new rock pathways throughout the garden.

“We’re going to have a grilling area. We’re gonna have everything mulched. It’s gonna be absolutely gorgeous out there,” Amble said. “I think it would be nice to leave everyone a beautiful garden for everyone to look at.”

Evans wants to see this be a domino effect to other students and see other areas of the school improved by students as well.

“To be honest it represents U-High. Kids came to us with an idea that they wanted to do, and they got the permission to do it, and now it’s up to them,” Evans said.  

Students should expect to be able to enjoy the renovated garden sometime in 2017.

“Spring time. We can’t work during the winter too much,” Amble said. “The snow would just mess it up.”

Although the group is not currently looking for more help, they are open to ideas for what should be done with the garden.

“I want the Secret Garden to be the eighth wonder of the world,” Amble said.