In recognition of Global Youth Service Day, Woodstock’s Landscape students took part in a project at the Dancel Family Center Y in Ellicott City. The project, coordinated by Mrs. Bush, BCL, began on Friday, April 15, 2011 and continued throughout the week of April 18.

Students prepared a plot at the Y’s front entrance for a native plant and vegetable garden. The garden will be part of the Y’s Building Futures Mentoring program, a new program developed by the National Y with the purpose of providing youth ages 6 to 18 from over-stressed families with an opportunity to grow in a positive relationship with an adult mentor.

The garden, which will be called the Building Futures Garden, is a project developed to teach mentors and mentees how to build and maintain a garden, teach mentees project planning and organization skills, as well as teach mentees the importance of eating well and locally, said Colby Peters, Regional Coordinator of the Building Futures Mentoring Program.

Students laid a garden border on April 15 and during the week of April 18 will be tilling soil and preparing for planting and mulching. Students were even asked to maintain the garden on an ongoing basis for the Y.