When I first became a teacher I was overwhelmed all the time. There were so many needs to meet, so many kids to reach, and so many lessons to plan. I felt like I had little time to accomplish all of my tasks while still maintaining some sense of sanity or a personal life. If only there had been a place on my campus where I could go to get fresh air and relax—a space that felt free from stress and expectations. 

This is why I made it my goal this year to create a space for staff and students to take a breath and unplug, all without leaving campus.

One fall day, I was wandering the Woodrow campus looking for new places to display student artwork, when I found an abandoned, trash-filled courtyard right outside of my own classroom. Much to my surprise, the space was unlocked. I opened the door and stepped in. There I found a few wooden crates, some random cinder blocks, piles of unused lumber, bags of old potting soil and a few stray gardening tools. It seemed like the beginning of something that had been forgotten long ago. 

I took this forgotten beginning, and over the course of this year, I worked with my students and the community to turn this desolate space into a nature-centered retreat for reflection and peaceful working.

This entire endeavor would not have been possible without a few key players. Let’s begin with our real star, Chance Odom. 

Chance, a junior at Woodrow Wilson High School and Eagle Scout in training, reached out to me and asked if he could help build our garden as his Eagle Scout project. As a young teacher with zero construction or building experience, I was thrilled to accept Chance’s offer! He diligently worked with his Scout leader, Bill Dieterich, to plan the garden beds and wooden benches using the materials we had in the space. Chance even raised money to buy materials himself. He did all of this work in a matter of weeks!

I was so impressed with his diligence, communication, and earnest desire to better his school by giving back with his talents and time. I am very proud of the work Chance did in our garden, and I hope he will come back over the years to see how it has grown and flourished.

The Woodrow Wilson Foundation also helped make this garden space a beautiful reality. They generously donated $1,000 to our cause, allowing us to purchase some new furniture, gardening equipment, paint to brighten up the pieces Chance built for us and the plants we will plant after we return from spring break!

We are so grateful to local organizations like the Woodrow Wilson Foundation for supporting our students both academically and spiritually.

In her book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, journalist Florence Williams writes that she started investigating the health benefits of nature after moving from my own home state, Colorado, to what she describes as "the anti-Arcadia that is the nation's capital," Washington, DC.

Williams writes, "I felt disoriented, overwhelmed, depressed. My mind had trouble focusing. I couldn't finish thoughts. I couldn't make decisions and I wasn't keen to get out of bed." This feeling of mental or emotional weariness is too common for so many on our campus. My students, being teenagers after all, already struggle with balancing their mental health, focusing on longer tasks and comprehending deeper material, all with distractions like cellphones and the pressure to succeed academically and socially.

Giving kids the opportunity to give back to their school and community by getting outside, working on something with their hands, watching something thrive and grow because of their care, it really helps them take ownership of their spaces on campus.

By creating this Peace Garden, Woodrow Wilson hopes to better support our students emotionally, which in turn will help them succeed academically. You cannot draw from an empty bucket.

I want to see my students’ school lives overflowing with joy and drive, not wasting away in anxiety and apathy. My hope is that this garden will lift them up, and replenish their spirits whenever they need it. This garden is theirs, not mine; it belongs to the kids who care for it most.

Learn more about Miranda’s story and how she gets paid to share her passion for art everyday.

If you’re ready to put your interests and vision to work to help students develop academically, socially and emotionally, you can explore teacher preparation programs and create a roadmap to guide you on your journey.