Directory of Gardens

Robert Browning Elementary Outdoor Classroom

Browning Elementary School is located on the eastern edge of the Heights community in north-central Houston. It is an old school that was built in 1926. In the fall of 1995, plans were made to establish an outdoor classroom area that included a vegetable garden, fruit trees, herbs, wildscape areas, and a small pond. The result has been an enormous success.

Success began with the late Jearnine Wagner, HISD liaison with Say Yes to a Youngster's Future. Say Yes is a family learning program of the National Urban Coalition of Washington, D.C., funded by Shell Oil. Jearnine worked with Thelma Graves, the Say Yes lead teacher and a bilingual prekindergarten teacher at Browning, and the principal, Ms Olga Moya, to develop the idea of building a school community garden.

With the approval and active participation of Ms. Moya and many meetings with Dr. Bob Randall of Urban Harvest, plans were made to construct the Browning gardens. Urban Harvest provided classes to teachers and parents on gardening. Dr. Randall provided instructions on how to build the beds and designed a garden with six vegetable beds, two herb beds and a flower garden. Diana Foss from Texas Parks and Wildlife designed a butterfly garden and courtyard for the school. Ron Jones from U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife designed the native plant garden, the pond, and the outdoor seating areas.

          

Ground was broken in November 1995, and the garden has grown with the help of many volunteers and donors since that time. Olga Moya, Dora Carrillo, parents, teachers and students of Browning were built the garden beds. David Hanslik dug the trench for the watering system and Doug Sizenbach of Micro-Flo Industries built an irrigation system. The first grant of about $850 came from the National Gardening Association. The Say Yes Parents Garden Club raised $5,000 for the garden from the sales of popcorn and pickles.

Other donors who have contributed funds for the Browning Garden over the years include: the Heights Education Project, Marathon Oil, Shell Oil, the National Recreation Foundation, HISD, and the Browning PTO. Funds from the Annenberg Grant were used to purchase science materials and for staff development. A $30,000 grant was given by Shell Oil Foundation to the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower and Research Center to develop a "Seeds for Growth" pilot program on how to build native plant gardens in schools. Browning Elementary School was the school chosen for this pilot project. As a result, the native plant area was renovated and tools, plants, and mulch were purchased In addition, plans were drawn, training was provided for parents, and classroom projects were provided for the students.

Donations of time have come from St. Johns High School, Episcopal High School, and various master gardeners from throughout the city. Donations of vegetables, herbs, shrubs and trees, mulch and soil for the garden have come from Buchanan's Nursery, Dr. Carol Cammack and others of the Harris County Extension Agency, Organic Vegetable Specialist Patricia Cooper, Diana Foss of Texas Parks & Wildlife, Ron Jones of US Fisheries and Wildlife, Brad Hendricks of the City of Houston Urban Forestry, the Museum of Natural Science, David Otahal, Rentokil, Shell Oil, the Houston Federation of Garden Clubs, the Four Corners Garden Study Club, Nelson Water Gardens and Nursery, SERVE Houston, Mickey Sanders, Marion Claybaugh, Betty Schooler, HCC's Alex Warren, Jennifer Bailey and Earnest McGowan of the Texas Department of Agriculture, Glen Graves of the Cylinder Garden Program, and Dora Carrillo, the Garden Coordinator.

In the summer of 1998, then candidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Susan Combs visited Browning Elementary School's outdoor classroom. Garden coordinator and teacher Thelma Graves explained the wonderful benefits of the garden for the students, the school and the community. She also lamented about how much more could be done if only there were funds. Impressed by the garden and its potential, Combs promised, whether Commissioner or not, she would help find financial support.

Almost two years later, on May 9th, the now elected Commissioner of Agriculture Susan Combs returned to Browning, with a $2500.00 check in hand. Accompanied by Rep. Sylvester Turner and representatives from Sen. Rodney Ellis's office, co-sponsors of the enabling legislation, Combs used the occasion to launch the Texas Department of Agriculture's new Urban Schools Grant Program. Browning is one of six schools statewide to receive such a grant to provide hands-on agricultural projects for urban students.

It is the dedicated work of teacher Thelma Graves that has sustained and continued to build this outdoor classroom. Thelma told me that her father always said to ask for what you want. "If you never ask, you will not receive." It is her ability both to ask for what is needed and to know whom to ask that has made this garden so successful at raising the funds and support within the Browning community and outside of it. It is to a great extent through Mrs. Graves' efforts that the garden has been able to receive the funding and volunteer attention it has attracted over the years.

The Browning Garden Club provides a source of ongoing support. Sponsored by the Four Corners Garden Study Club, their members volunteer time to maintain the garden and learn about the environment. Mrs. Graves believes the success of the garden contributed to becoming a national Say Yes school. According to Thelma, "When the community can see that your school is improving in student achievement in science, mathematics, reading and technology, then they are willing to contribute time and money to your program."

Mrs. Graves made it clear they would not have been able to create the outdoor classroom area without having a foundation in Urban Harvest and without having a principal who is very supportive of this program. Mrs. Graves also frequently mentioned the importance of her team support from the school, the teachers, and the community. When asked what has accounted for the success of the outdoor classroom, Graves is quick to credit, first, an understanding and open principal, Olga Moya, and then wide community support coupled with hard but rewarding work. "The garden is the outgrowth of the school's Shell Oil Company Say Yes To a Youngster's Future program which has brought together teachers, students, parents, and community volunteers to work in the classroom."

Graves has carefully tracked all the individuals, groups, and organizations that contributed their time, energies, and/or resources to the project. The list, long and impressive, includes, but is by no means limited to: Diana Foss, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.; Ron Jones, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; parent volunteers; Dora Carillo, P.T.A. President and Garden Coordinator; George Meeks and H.I.S.D. support staff; Brad Hendricks, Houston Parks and Recreation Dept.; Alex Warren, Houston Community College; Doug Sizenbach, Micro-Flo Industries; Glen Graves, Dr. Carol Cummack, Harris County Agriculture Extension Service; John Henry Pierce, Master Gardener; Scott Poteet, Episcopal High School; Cheryl Westphal, Marathon Oil Co.; Peter Cangelosi, San Jacinto Environmental Supplies; Rentokil Tropical Plant Services; National Wildflower and Research Center; and Urban Harvest.

As proud as Graves and Browning are of their outdoor classroom, they would love to see all schools with such an exciting program. They are happy to share their experiences, the do's and don'ts, and to offer assistance wherever possible.

 

2311 Canal St., Suite 122, Houston, TX 77003
713-880-5540 •