Garden Educator Spotlight: Catherine Wagoner
Catherine (she/her) is the Garden Educator at Morse Elementary, Haggerty Elementary, and Baldwin Early Learning Pilot Academy. This is her second year as a Garden Educator at CitySprouts. Find out more about Catherine below!
What’s been your proudest moment as a Garden Educator?
My proudest moment was growing the most magical fairytale pumpkin with my students. We planted it from seed and watched it grow for months until it was time to harvest it. We cut it open and explored the insides, saving the seeds, and burying the pumpkin to watch it decompose. It felt very full circle and was something that we checked in on every week in class.
How has working with youth changed your perspective on education or the environment?
Since becoming a Garden Educator, I have come to truly appreciate the value of hands-on, place-based learning, particularly in urban environments.
Magical fairytale pumpkin at Baldwin Early!
What inspired you to become a Garden Educator?
I wish that I had something like CitySprouts when I was in school and it feels really special to be able to teach lessons that I know I would have loved as a child.
What’s one important skill you believe gardening teaches kids that they can use outside the garden?
Patience.
Catherine and her students planting Marigolds at Morse Elementary
How do you navigate teaching students who may not initially be interested in gardening?
I try to model being as excited and interested as possible about the topics I am teaching. I always get my hands dirty alongside the kids so that they see it is okay and can be really fun to participate! Adding in some mystery to what you are learning about and making it seem like the coolest thing ever also draws students in. Additionally, I love having the students play pretend and engage with the material in their own way rather than having too much structure.
Catherine Outside of CitySprouts
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
If you could switch lives with any character from a book, movie, or show for a day, who would it be?
Karana, from the Island of Blue Dolphins. Growing up, I would pretend to be Karana by collecting sticks and roots and foraging for other natural materials. It's a wonderful story of resilience and strength based on the life and experiences of Juana Maria.
If you could have any mythical creature as a pet, which one would it be?
I would love to have a tiny fairy friend.
Catherine’s Favorites
Favorite food? - Roasted veggies
Favorite season? - Spring
Favorite movie? - Little Miss Sunshine
Cats or dogs? - Dogs