Youth tend to gardens for summer employment

This summer, five students from Santa Maria’s Youth Development Program will be hired to tend to several Lower Price Hill gardens as Garden Apprentices for a summer work program. Lower Price Hill nonprofit, Community Matters, currently operates three of the community gardens: the Victory Garden (St. Michael Street); the Aaron Raines Memorial Garden (8th Street); and the Sassafras Garden (Neave Street). The youth will be learning about planting, sustainability, and healthy eating. The students will work twice a week alongside Santa Maria and Community Matters’ staff. Some of the apprentices’ duties will include maintaining the gardens and planning for weekly, public garden parties which take place in the Sassafras Garden Fridays from 2:30-4:30.