The Climate Exploration class planted a new IUSD-funded garden behind Northwood’s gym at the start of the semester.
Unlike last year’s garden, IUSD provided around $3,000 in funds for 63 plants, mulch, weeding and a new irrigation system after the class petitioned IUSD’s Management and Operations department to hear their proposal. The garden’s plants include indigenous and drought-resistant plants such as yarrow, California sagebrush and lemonade berries to help restore Northwood’s hills, which were burnt during the 2020 Silverado fire.
“The students did an amazing job with sharing their sustainable solutions and linking to measurable benefits,” IUSD director of sustainability Jennifer Razo said. “They didn’t just plan a restoration garden—they designed a resilient ecosystem capable of surviving climate shifts over time.”
The garden served as the class’s final presentation for their Land unit, which focused on climate justice. Students interviewed an elder in their family about past environmental conditions, comparing it to the current landscape and their hopes for what Northwood could look like in the future. They then drafted a cost-benefit analysis and designed their own gardening plots, which were presented to Razo, landscape supervisors and district-approved contractors.
To guide students in designing their plots, the class visited the Irvine Ranch Conservatory, where they learned how employees nurture and harvest native sea farms. Students from Water UCI also presented on how to make city planning more sustainable.
“With my group, we decided to create a space where the bees on campus can have a refuge because I noticed that lots of bees swarm or are dead around the trash cans, and we were really sad about it,” senior Rei Iwai said. “I thought that it was really great that [the district] decided to fund it because not a lot of schools have the opportunity to create these spaces, and it was a really valuable experience that I’m grateful to be a part of.”
Climate Exploration teacher Nelly Tsai originally developed the project after being inspired by an Integrated Science 2 project, where students drafted a “fire smart” proposal and investigated potential replacements for Northwood’s invasive species. According to Tsai, she wanted those plans to have a real-world impact in her class.
“We really are part of the natural world. We are not apart from it. We are not on top of it. We are not managing it,” Tsai said. “There are gifts from nature that we should treasure, so even though it’s a lot of work, it’s so powerful. When you see what students can do, it’s worth it.”
Although Tsai plans to continue the gardening project for future years, district funding will depend on factors like water usage, maintenance labor and the garden’s resilience to weather events, according to Razo.
Meanwhile, the class will also be collaborating with Timby’s Swap n’ Shop to target fast fashion during Earth Week and advocating alongside Advanced Culinary for healthier food options.
For more information on the gardening project or climate class, please contact Tsai at [email protected].
