Early morning on June 4, Dunseith Gardens came alive with the excited chatter of second-graders as they gathered for the annual planting of sunflower seedlings raised in their classrooms. Four beds of sunflowers were planted under the direction of Mattapoisett Land Trust member Don Cuddy, Center School teachers, and Head of Science Ben Squire.
The program had its early beginnings during COVID, when in 2021, MLT members Ellen Flynn, Wendy Copps, and Mary Cabral and Old Hammondtown teacher Michelle Barry led students in planting seeds in an outdoor tent. Students then raised their seedlings at home.
The current program was started by Don Cuddy in 2023 in solidarity with Ukraine. Mr. Cuddy does the heavy lifting, digging, and provides compost, while the students plant their seedlings and water them. Each class gets to plant a bed and participate in other parts of the program. Ms. Cabral, a former science teacher, leads each class through an interactive program on the life-cycle of the sunflower from seed to seedling, sprout, adult plant, and finally, wilted plant. The children then wrap up with a story walk, “Plant Secrets.”
The event is sponsored by the Mattapoisett Land Trust in cooperation with Mattapoisett Schools.