Plant with care now, so you'll enjoy a big harvest later.
Tiny hands cupped seedlings as kids smoothed the soil with little trowels and gently misted the beds. The school garden tucked in one corner of the playground buzzed with laughter and the earthy scent of fresh dirt.
Cheongsong Hwamok Elementary School (Principal Kim Kyung-sook) recently hosted a schoolwide, community-linked program called "School Garden Cultivation," inviting every student to join in planting vegetable seedlings.
The event aimed to teach children the value of life through hands-on gardening and to spark interest in environmental protection and healthy eating. Students gathered in grade-assigned plots to plant a variety of seedlings—lettuce, cherry tomatoes, perilla leaves, and green onions—getting both their hands and hearts involved.
Curious voices filled the garden. "The soil is so fluffy," and "I hope the tomatoes ripen soon," echoed as friends chatted while they worked.
Second-, third-, and sixth-graders planted fast-growing lettuce, carefully covering roots and giving each seedling a good drink. First-, fourth-, and fifth-graders planted cherry tomatoes, perilla, and green onions, getting a front-row seat to watch plants grow.
Students handled the little seedlings gently with both hands so they wouldn't get damaged. After planting, they grabbed watering cans and wandered through the beds, beaming.
Second-grader Park, who took part in the activity, said, "It's amazing that these tiny seedlings will grow into big vegetables. I'm already excited to eat the lettuce I planted with my family." Park smiled and added, "I want to come every day to water and care for them with love."
Principal Kim said, "I hope students learn the value of hard work and the importance of patience through tending the garden. We'll continue hands-on ecological education so students can appreciate nature and develop good character as they harvest the vegetables they grow themselves."
