Ocean City Students Grow Plants, Legacy In Memorial Garden

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City Primary School (OCPS) students are growing more than just plants - they're growing a lifelong love of learning and a legacy.

The students are working in Mrs. H’s Helping Hands Garden as part of a summer program, according to a school district news release. They tend to 28 garden beds and two worm-composting boxes in the garden dedicated in memory of OCPS third-grade teacher and coach Mikenzie Helphenstine, who lost her battle with cancer in May 2022.

Helphenstine saw great opportunity in the garden and encouraged fellow teachers to help revive it from COVID-era neglect. She believed the garden would provide valuable lessons for students and nurture community connections, said her friend Sharon Naplacic, a third-grade OCPS teacher who runs the garden program.

Today the students continue to bring her vision to life as they develop an interest in science and nature. They learn about pollination, composting, photosynthesis, the parts of a plant and plant identification, but also learn how one person can make a lasting, positive impact on the world.

“The legacy of my friend and colleague, Mikenzie Helphenstine, quite simply lives on in each child’s curiosity and joy,” said Naplacic. “Mikenzie’s nieces and nephew are involved with the garden, and I like to think she looks down upon us with pride.”

Together, the students harvested strawberries, sweet peas, string beans, radishes, beets, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and carrots. They also have grown an assortment of herbs and flowers.

The garden continues to function as a living classroom in the fall, when sweet potatoes and pumpkins will be harvested.

Each week, the students take their bounty to the kitchen to create delicious dishes such as zucchini chocolate chip muffins and zucchini pizza. Their harvest was large enough to recently hold OCPS’ second annual produce sale, sharing their crops with the community.

“The Helping Hands Garden provides hands-on learning and real-life experiences,” said Naplacic. “The children have a vested interest in the success of the garden and have a strong sense of ownership.”