The Marblehead Reporter announced in its October 22 print edition that the PTO sponsored Garden Program won top prize at the October Topsfield Fair!
Marblehead Village School students, PTO, volunteers and staff are celebrating the “fruits and flowers” of their labor as popcorn and mammoth sunflowers from the garden win big at the Topsfield Fair.
Holly Hannaway said “The sunflowers and corn were started from seed, planted last spring by third grade classrooms as part of the science and social studies curriculum.”
Thanks to a repaired irrigation system, and hours and hours of volunteer support over the course of the summer, students returned to school in August to find the garden flourishing with 12 foot sunflowers, pumpkins and squash on the vine, beans growing up the corn stalks, and more!
Third grade students, who are now at the new Lucretia & Joseph Brown Elementary School, helped harvest and dry the popcorn and sunflowers in preparation for the fair.
The two mammoth sunflowers were awarded second place in their respective categories – the tallest sunflower measuring in at 12’ 4 1/2” and the biggest sunflower at 17”.
The corn won first place with five ears selected for quality and consistency.
Hannaway said winning entries will continue to provide joy and learning for Marblehead students as part of the PTO-funded garden enrichment programs. Third graders will enjoy the popcorn as part of a Harvest of the Month program offered at the L & J Brown Elementary School and students at Brown and Village will help harvest seeds from winning sunflowers for planting next spring.