Monterey Park’s Rotary Club President David Anantasin and Principal Natalie Tee Gaither joined with members of Interact, teachers, parents and students on March 6 to plant an edible garden on the school grounds.

Repetto students range in age from kindergarten to the 8th grade.

Parents and Rotary members built wooden frames on top of a plastic sheet and covered it with pebbles for drainage.  Students, parents and teachers added dirt to each little garden until it was ready to plant. Athens Services provided the soil.

Judy Huffaker, a Nutrition Education Specialist from the Alhambra School District, provided a healthy snack for the students. She stressed to the students and their parents the value of a well balanced diet and offered them healthy eating tips.

The editable garden was planted with tomatoes plants, squash, green onions, bell peppers, basil, cucumbers, chives, Marigold flowers and more.

David Anantasin, Ron Hedrick and seven-year-old Fuad Faraj proudly planted the sign in the garden.

A white picket fence was erected around the garden complete with a fountain. An irrigation system will be installed at a later date.

Club President Anantasin stated they received a $3,000 grant to establish this garden.   They hoped to plant a garden at every school in the city that would provide the community with a vegetable garden.  He called the garden community teamwork.

Principal Gaither thanked the teachers, students and their parents for volunteering to plant this garden.  The students will harvest the fresh vegetables to be served as salads in the classrooms.