OFFICIALKIDSMAG.COM
KIDS
PICK
By Dave Woods • Official Kids Mag
Photos by Rachel Lipe
Going to Garden Buds gets Olivia
Barahona smiling.
"I like it because there is so much to do,"
the 7-year-old said. "I play and learn about
stuff."
Olivia, and a dozen or so other elementary
school kids from around the area, descend
on the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
every Wednesday during the summer to
take part in the garden's Garden Buds
program where kids learn about plants,
flowers, vegetables and nature.
Olivia, who attends Turnbow Elementary
in Springdale, listened intently to a recent
lesson on vegetables and healthy eating.
"Vegetables help you be fit," she
explained. "They are nutritious. Some of
them help your eyes. Some help your heart
and stuff. It's important to know a lot of
stuff and be healthy."
Knowing the program's Botanical Garden
of the Ozarks offers inspire young people
also inspires Liz Atwell.
"It's the best," the garden's
communications coordinator said, gesturing
at the plants and flowers. "This is my office.
It's such an amazing place to work."
Liz, who has been with the garden since
2017, enjoys working with the kids and
adults who visit and volunteer at the not-for-
profit organization dedicated to showcasing
the natural beauty of the Ozarks, educating
for a sustainable future and providing
a gathering place for celebrations and
enrichment. In fact, that's their mission
statement.
"We see a wide age range of kids that
come out to the garden throughout the
year," she explained. "We have little bitty
ones who come out for our Little Sprouts
program. We have our older Garden Buds.
Our big event in the summer is our Firefly
Fling in July where kids come out and have
a fun evening dressing up in costumes and
doing fun crafts."
Seeing the kids interact with the numerous
gardens, within the garden, Liz knows it gets
kids interested in learning and loving the
outdoors.
"It's really fun because you get to
see them connect with nature and the
environment," she said. "They touch
things and get up close with butterflies
and caterpillars. It's something you don't
DESIRE TO
INSPIRE
3...
16 • Off icial Kids Mag • AUG & SEPT 2018
