As flowers bloom and birds chirp, spring arrives in Korea. To welcome the green season, elementary farmers, led by DIS Facilities Manager Mr. Bae, nourished the Early Childhood Center (ECC) gardens once more. Mr. Bae takes on this project each fall and spring to correspond with the growing season. Through consistent hard work, Mr. Bae and DIS received the Daegu Mayor Award for the success of the school vegetable gardens. 

Back in 2021, Mr. Bae and the main office registered for the “School Vegetable Garden Establishment/Operation Support Initiative” program at the Dong-gu district office. Out of all the applicants, 27 other schools received government funds to replenish the school’s green space. With the endowment, institutions created their own campus farms, and the Dong-gu district assessed them periodically for progress checks. 

“Throughout 2021 to 2023, we applied to the program and received a total of 11,479,600 won (approximately $8,673) from the Dong-gu district. We found this program online and thought it was great to bring it into DIS. After we received the money, the school began creating gardens throughout campus. After a month, the agriculture department representatives visited the campus to assess how our gardens were created [based] on various categories such as student instruction, crop diversity, and staff participation,” said Mr. Bae.

Hands-on activities for students, with persistent effort from Mr. Bae and the school staff, and support from administrators, consistently filled the campus with green. Such advancements caught the eyes of the Dong-gu district. At the end of the three-year competition, DIS earned first place out of the 28 schools. 

“I feel great winning this award because the school officers worked really hard for the program to take place. We also received a lot of support from the school, including Mr. Jolly, who was really passionate and supportive. I also want to thank Mr. Seo, the school gardener, for all his work in organizing and leading the operations for all establishments and maintenance. I think the planting event and the garden establishment gave students a crucial opportunity to learn about eco-friendly agriculture and its importance in society,” Bae said. 

Elementary schoolers bore the fruit of their labor. “We first created a small hill with dirt, so that we can create a space to actually plant the potato. After all the hills were done, we finished planting the potatoes and now we wait until harvest. It was more fun for us because planting potatoes into the garden is not a normal activity for us to do in school,” Henry Cha, 5th grader, said. 

Despite the successful results, the continuation of the project lies in uncertainty. “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to receive the grant for this year because the government recently had a huge budget cut. The agriculture department doesn’t have enough money to support these programs, so last year ended up being the last time for us to participate in the initiative. The school, however, continues to support the gardening program, so I am grateful about it and hope the government program resumes again,” said Mr. Bae. 

The project not only gifted the school with beautiful greenery but also supplied the students unique experiences away from conventional academic studies. DIS hopes to persevere in such attempts to advance the campus and student life. 

Gallery • 5 Photos

Catherine Park

Mr. Bae and Mr. Jolly display the fruits of their labor with pride. The award stands as a testament to their efforts, recognized by the City.