![Some of the people involved in Narooma High School's native plant nursery: Peter Dawe of Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening, Todd Wright student learning support officer at Narooma High School, science teacher Christina Potts, student Joseph Ahoy, Cliodhna Maguire from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening and class teacher Stuart Norman. Picture by Marion Williams Some of the people involved in Narooma High School's native plant nursery: Peter Dawe of Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening, Todd Wright student learning support officer at Narooma High School, science teacher Christina Potts, student Joseph Ahoy, Cliodhna Maguire from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening and class teacher Stuart Norman. Picture by Marion Williams](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/a351b54a-213c-4305-9f78-8427c78a3591.jpeg/r0_0_4032_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Narooma High School's native plant nursery is benefitting students in unexpected ways.
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Christina Potts, a science teacher involved in the project, said the nursery was originally established as a simulated working environment for students doing skills for work courses.
They learn essentials like numeracy and workplace health and safety and Ms Potts has been able to integrate several subjects into the project.
For example, building things teaches them how to measure and work with angles.
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![Peter Dawe from the Youth Community Greening team and Narooma High School student Joseph Ahoy working on a native food forest that the school's home economics students can use in their cooking. Picture by Christina Potts Peter Dawe from the Youth Community Greening team and Narooma High School student Joseph Ahoy working on a native food forest that the school's home economics students can use in their cooking. Picture by Christina Potts](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/3107cd3b-5bb1-41ba-a564-7fc86cbbeae8.jpg/r0_227_1632_1944_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Helps home economic students
This year the students have added a native food forest in another part of the school.
They have planted edible natives as well as herbs like basil that home economics students can use for cooking.
Students work in the nursery every day managing the plant stock and collecting seeds plus general landscaping around the school.
Each month members of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening program drop by to share their knowledge and expertise, sometimes bringing seeds, tube stock or plants they have purchased or nurseries have donated.
Peter Dawe, who leads the program in schools across the state, said they are looking at growing some local threatened species like the yam daisy.
![Narooma High School student Reuben Hankinson and Cliodhna Maguire from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening program working to create a new native food forest for the school's home economics students to use in cooking. Picture by Christina Potts Narooma High School student Reuben Hankinson and Cliodhna Maguire from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening program working to create a new native food forest for the school's home economics students to use in cooking. Picture by Christina Potts](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/afa402c4-3218-46c7-b355-abdd7ce963ba.jpg/r336_357_2330_1653_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Revenue generator
Over time the nursery will become a source of revenue through selling native plants.
However as native plants are very slow to grow from seed, they are also growing vegetables.
Already it has raised a few hundred dollars from selling native plants and vegetables to staff and by word of mouth.
The money is used to buy tools and potting mix for the nursery.
"Ultimately the goal is to be self-sustainable in seeds," Ms Potts said.
![Some of the team helping the students involved in Narooma High School's native plant nursery: science teacher Christina Potts, home economics and tech teacher Alanna Harris, student mentor Carl Taylor, Cliodhna Maguire from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening, Peter Dawe from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening and class teacher Stuart Norman. Picture by Marion Williams Some of the team helping the students involved in Narooma High School's native plant nursery: science teacher Christina Potts, home economics and tech teacher Alanna Harris, student mentor Carl Taylor, Cliodhna Maguire from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening, Peter Dawe from Botanic Gardens of Sydney Youth Community Greening and class teacher Stuart Norman. Picture by Marion Williams](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/12eee549-6908-47dc-9d73-b95b9dc22cce.jpeg/r654_448_3808_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Building connections
Ms Potts most values the nursery's impact on students.
Students have said working in the nursery makes them feel good inside, they enjoy using their bodies and it has a calming effect.
"That is the end product, not the garden, but the impact it can have and you hope it is something they can use later in life," she said.
Student mentor Carl Taylor said it gives Indigenous students another connection back to culture and community which supports the cultural learnings and connections they get at home and in the community.
"So it isn't just learning. It fulfils a cultural need as well," Mr Taylor said.
"Once they become part of programs like this their whole demeanour changes, seeing seeds grow, nurturing them and that carries into looking after country."
It also helps the awareness of non-Indigenous students and staff as they share that knowledge, work together and understand and respect each other.
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