Thirty-one student members of the St. Francis garden club at St. John Paul II High School volunteered to participate in activities and projects at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center on Nov. 30.
The purpose of the field trip was to stimulate their knowledge and the love of gardening, to improve and protect the quality of the environment and promoting civic responsibility. The students worked with shovels and spades along the trail and helped preserve the native plants and wildlife present in the 180-acre space. Delighted from this experience, the students are eager to keep helping their local community.
The student members of the St. Francis Garden Club are Melissa Alaniz, Brendan Allen, Leila Arellano, Zachary Bonds, James Bourque, Samuel Broll, Cassidy Bryant, Joshua Conde, Katherine Cortina, Danielle Doucet, Polo Esquivel, Luc Foster, Victoria Fuentes, Jacquelyn Gomez, Rodrigo Hinojosa, Lucas Lee, Ryan Lopez, Jason Mai, Justin Mai, Dexter Miranda, William Moore, Augustine Nguyen, Amad Perez, Jessica Rodriguez, Bridget Lee Sang, Rachel Lee Sang, Sarah Lee Sang, Alexander Soliz, Maya Trevino, Brianna Wilhelm and Maya Zamarron.
The event was organized by Education Coordinator and Field Biologist Brenda Ermis-Killen and St. Francis Gardening Club faculty sponsor and teacher Julia Valenti-Tontini.