One to Watch: Kim Gordon

Kim GordonDigging Deep to Help Students and Community

By Wendy O. Dixon  |  Photo by Scott Holstein

Kim Gordon, athletic director and garden coordinator at Seaside Neighborhood School, cultivated a project in her organic gardening class that was, at first, intended to benefit the school. As the students began working on their assignment, however, it became clear that the entire town of Seaside was ripe for the harvest.

“The community was ready and wanted to become involved,” Gordon says. “And my vision grew beyond a school garden.”

After Robert and Daryl Davis donated the land to the school, Gordon, who was interested in improving the quality of school lunches and the environment, dug in when a teacher was needed.

The parcel is a sustainable garden, which means it works with nature, instead of attempting to overcome it. From fruits and vegetables to insects and compost, everything has its proper place and purpose. Students plant vegetation that is indigenous to Northwest Florida, the goal being to create a garden that is easy and fun.

Gordon says she is fortunate to work in a community and at an award-winning school that embraces an eco-friendly environment.

“The people of Seaside are wholeheartedly behind my vision to allow children to explore their natural world in a way that motivates them to become stewards of their land,” she says.

Gordon, her students and her community are peppered with enthusiasm.

For more information on the Corner Garden, call (850) 231-0396 or visit seasideschool.net.