Growing Together: Gannon Nursing Students and HYS Collaborate on New Community Garden Project
Over the last several weeks, we’ve been bringing a new community garden project to life on campus, thanks to a generous group of Nurses.
This spring, we were honored to partner with fourth-year nursing students from Gannon University to create a beautiful new community garden on our campus. Through grant funding secured by the students, HYS received four large raised garden beds, gardening tools and supplies, composting systems, gift cards for Stan’s Garden Center, a storage shed and even a guidebook written just for us.
Gannon Professor Melissa Robertson (left) with Gannon 4th-year Nursing Students on May 7th
The Erie area is often described as a “big-small-town,” and this project became a reality thanks to professionals who have crossed paths for years in a very “Erie” way! For context, Gannon nursing students complete part of their mental health rotation experience here at HYS. Melissa Robertson, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CNE, Associate Teaching Professor of Nursing at Gannon University’s Villa Maria School of Nursing, and HYS Director of Nursing and Compliance Officer Colleen Daisley, MSN, RN, have worked together through Community Health Net (Colleen serves as a Board Member, as well). Gannon Assistant Professor Shannon Scully, DNP, also serves on one of HYS' Board committees. See what we mean?
On May 7th, Gannon nursing students joined HYS staff and our kids on campus to begin installing the garden beds and project materials. Then, as anyone familiar with spring in Erie knows, the weather had other plans...
While the garden beds were ready, temperatures remained stubbornly cool (and often cold. And windy. And very rainy). In the meantime, residents and staff worked together to plan what would be planted once conditions improved. The kids helped select vegetables, herbs and flowers for the garden beds for mix of practical crops and colorful flowers that will continue to grow throughout the summer.
One of the most exciting aspects of the project has been helping our kids connect gardening with healthy eating and sustainability. Kelly Blaney, HYS’ fantastic General Manager for Foodservice through Metz Culinary Management, worked with youth and staff to identify produce that could eventually be incorporated into meals and cooking experiences on campus.
The grant also included two composting systems that will allow our kids to experience the full cycle of growing food. Working alongside staff, they will learn how food scraps and other organic materials can be transformed into nutrient-rich compost that can support future planting seasons. Every part of the gardening process (even composting!) helps support our Sanctuary commitments to Social Responsibility and Growth & Change while allowing our residents to see both immediate results and the groundwork being laid for future seasons.
HYS’ Therapy Garden
“Nature-based experiences can create opportunities for mindfulness, emotional regulation, teamwork and personal growth in ways that feel approachable and meaningful for youth.”
Growing 24/7/365
One of our Tower Gardens in HYS Therapist Lizzie Plyer’s office allows us to continue therapeutic gardening no matter what the weather throws at us!
The new Community Garden also complements HYS' broader commitment to holistic, trauma-informed care.
In 2021, we launched our extensive Therapy Garden under the leadership of Clinical Director Erin Bastow, MS, LPC, NCC. Since then, opportunities for both residents and staff to engage with nature and wellness-focused activities have continued to evolve. Several HYS therapists even maintain Tower Gardens in their offices, where kids can assist with planting, care and harvesting throughout the year.
As a fellow nature enthusiast, Bastow knows experiences like gardening can create therapeutic opportunities for kids to engage with the outdoors, develop practical skills, build confidence and experience the positive impact of connecting with the natural world.
As the summer season unfolds, residents, Work Experience Program students, and staff will continue caring for the gardens, learning what grows best, experimenting with composting and exploring ways to incorporate fresh produce into meals. These nursing students may have just graduated, but their impact has already started!