By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City Schools and Discovery Park of America continue to “grow” their relationship.
Pre-K students at UC Elementary School and personnel from DPA partnered together in the final weeks of the 2024-25 school year in a unique project that will hopefully produce results well into the future.
With significant assistance from DPA Lead Education Specialist Erik Uselton, young students at UCES capped a curriculum unit by planting seeds and then watching them grow and mature on the school’s playground.
The project began after Pre-K classes took a field trip to DPA and toured the facility’s greenhouse, where the seeds were initially planted.
Uselton then offered his services to build an expandable raised flower bed on the Union City Elementary School playground, and the seedlings were transplanted there. Students participated in that process and also helped take care of the bed during recess and/or planned outdoor sessions in the final days of the recently completed school year.
“We had discussed ways to utilize every part of our playground and to integrate a study on plants,” Union City Schools Pre-K teacher Katie Worrell explained. “We came up with this idea, and DPA was so gracious to partner with us and get our students involved.
“Our three-year-old classes will get to see the growth when they return to school in August, and our Pre-K graduates could possibly take a walk with their new teacher and classmates to show off the plants and their work on the project. And because the flower bed can be easily expanded or moved, we could add more planting space in the future if we want to.”