SCOE | Sacramento County Office of Education Students Will Sow the Seeds of Success

Sacramento County Office of Education Students Will Sow the Seeds of Success

Posted March 20, 2000

Students at Leo A. Palmiter High School in Sacramento broke ground for their new Gourmet Garden Monday, March 20—the first day of spring.

(Visit Sacramento Bee's article, "Planting Seeds for Future Meals.")

Ground Breaking Ceremony The school, which is operated by the Sacramento County Office of Education for special needs and high-risk students, will use Gourmet Garden-grown produce in its Culinary Arts Café. Under the tutelage of teacher-chef Steven Moe, students in the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Culinary Arts class prepare and serve a gourmet-quality lunch from noon to 1 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday during the school year. Reservations for the Culinary Arts Café may be made by calling (916) 566-2039. Menus are available at the Palmiter Café Web page. Carl Curtis Welcomes the Crowd

Instructor Carl Curtis, who helped welcome the crowd, has enrolled 20 Palmiter students in his new ROP Nursery, Grounds and Landscape class. Students will plant and maintain the 2,500-square-foot garden, which is situated in the campus quad. Says Curtis, "Already the students are learning that gardens offer beautiful, dynamic settings where all school disciplines integrate with the senses. Science, math, nutrition, health, reading and the environment are experienced by students using their hands while cultivating and harvesting in the school garden."

	Special guests at the Gourmet Garden groundbreaking ceremony were family members of school namesake Leo A. Palmiter, who served as Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools from 1968 to 1980. Students, with the assistance of Mrs. Palmiter, planted the Gourmet Garden's first tree in memory of the late superintendent, who died in January, 2000.

Leo Palmiter, Jr. and Betty Palmiter Thank Students

Leo Palmiter, Jr., and his mother, Betty Palmiter, thanked the students and faculty on behalf of the family. UPN 31's "Good Day, Sacramento" covered the ceremony.

Receiving golden shovels were (L-R) members of the Gourmet Garden Advisory Committee (Tim Crowley, Bev Haffner and Arnie Sampe) and SCOE Special Education/Special Services Director Robin Pierson and Sacramento County Board of Education Vice President Elinor L. Hickey.

Tim Crowley, Bev Haffner, Arnie Sampe, and Robin Pierson

Michael Laharty, Diana Mickela, Gary Barker and Carl Curtis

Palmiter student Martin participated in the celebration with staff members (L-R) Vocational Specialist Michael Laharty, Principal Diana Mickela, Social Worker Gary Barker and Carl Curtis, ROP teacher.

Palmiter High School Student Body President Jennifer and Vice President Otis presented a special gift to teacher Carl Curtis - a wheelbarrow filled with colorful annuals, ready for planting in the new Gourmet Garden.

Jennifer and Otis Present Wheelbarrow of Annuals

Teacher Steve Moe and his students prepared and served a salad luncheon immediately following the groundbreaking ceremony.

Joining Board of Education Vice President Elinor Hickey (left) at the luncheon were Halimdeen Shifa, "school to world" Job Developer for Palmiter students, and Gourmet Garden Advisory Committee member Bev Haffner.

Elinor Hickey, Halimdeen Shifa, and Bev Haffner Serve Themselves Salad

Libby, Betty, Leonard and Lynette Sit Eating Lunch

Enjoying the lunch were members of the Leo A. Palmiter family (L-R): Libby, Betty, Leonard and Lynette.

Palmiter High School Secretary Lorraine Bishop, who helped coordinate the groundbreaking ceremony, distributed Gourmet Garden mementos - packets of seeds to remind guests of an important saying: "For children to love the Earth, they need to know the Earth. To know the Earth, they need to experience the Earth."

Lorraine Bishop Carrying Basket of Seed Packets

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