Westerly Hills Academy broke ground Monday on a new outdoor classroom in west Charlotte.
Students, staff, and community partners gathered for what the school called a “Big Dig.” The event marked the start of construction for the new garden learning space. The project is in partnership with the nonprofit Out Teach, which aims to give students a hands-on learning experience outside the traditional classroom. Westerly Hills Principal Kiesha Pride said that spaces like this site display support for and by the community.
"We say here at Westerly Hills that we are one team with one goal and one school serving the community, and if you look around, that’s what you see today,” Pride said. “We are serving the community and the community is serving us, and I am truly grateful for that.”
Pride also thanked Out Teach for providing a grant to assist with the development of the site. The garden will include an outdoor reading lab, reading nooks, and areas to support lessons in science, sustainability, and healthy living