Specialty Crop

Students in the Lights On in Lander after-school and summer programs participate in a variety of activities, among them gardening. Approximately 200 students from Baldwin Creek and Gannett Peak elementary schools, Lander Middle School, and Pathfinder High School grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits, including pumpkins for Halloween painting.

“They love working in the dirt, and when it’s hot they can cool off under the misters on the fence,” says one of the coordinators, Vivian Brown. “Giving them something to do like this keeps their minds busy in positive ways, and they can use what they learn at home and through life.”

Each year there is a new theme for the program, such as ‘Carnivals and Festivals’ for 2023, in which students celebrate festivals held around the world. “Among the activities are arts and crafts based on how things grow,” Brown says.

The program offers other age-specific and mixed-group activities. Lights On in Lander is funded by a grant from the Nita M. Lowey 21^st Century Community Learning Center through the U.S. Department of Education.