A Garden Grows at Chandler Elementary

Chandler Elementary School third-grader Daniel Cirone finished his social studies work a bit early on Wednesday. As a reward, he was given 15 minutes of hard labor in the school’s garden.

Actually, Daniel, 8, and classmates Brenda Martinez, Michael Jermakian and Samantha Kizito, all 9, like working in the garden. It’s where they want to be.

“It’s fun because it’s making the school prettier,” Brenda said.

In fact, almost everyone at Chandler Elementary has gotten their hands dirty in the past month.

It all started when cafeteria manager Ethel Ramin decided flowers are prettier than dirt.

“I said, ‘Wouldn’t you rather have a nice garden instead of all this dirt?’ ” said Ramin, alluding to the school’s flower garden just outside of the main office. A month ago, flowers were absent in a square patch of dirt surrounding a small tree.

Since then, the school, with the help of San Fernando High School students participating in the city’s Clean and Green program, parents and local businesses, have pitched in to create three flower gardens and a vegetable garden.

“It has transformed the school,” said Principal Barbara Thibodeau.

“It’s more fun than most jobs,” said Jose Valadez, 14, a ninth-grader at the high school.