Kecoughtan students and staff support Annual Creation Care Day

On Saturday, February 7, while many were enjoying a slow winter morning, students from Kecoughtan High School were hard at work making a difference. Led by agricultural education teacher Karen Chang, the students volunteered their time to support the annual Creation Care Day—an event hosted in partnership with a variety of environmental organizations to inspire the community to reduce, recycle, repurpose, and beautify.

 

Throughout the day, Chang and her students rolled up their sleeves and engaged attendees in hands-on learning. They helped community members transform fabric scraps into pet chew and play toys—giving new life to materials that might otherwise have been discarded, taking up critical space in the landfill. They also led a demonstration on winter seed sowing, a method they have truly mastered, showing participants how to start seeds outdoors in the colder months. 

 

Student Hannah Huff shared, “Volunteering at the Creation Care Day event was important because participation in these events can make a positive impact on our community, promote biodiversity, and spark an interest in gardening/horticulture.”

 

The expertise of the students is already extending well beyond the classroom. In collaboration with Hampton’s Bee City USA affiliate, the Hampton Clean City Commission, and the Hampton Public Library, students are growing seeds and developing a design for a native plant garden at the main branch of the library. In mid-December, they welcomed Bee City committee member Melany Libby and Hampton Clean City Commission staff member Wendy Iles, who taught them how to repurpose milk jugs into small “greenhouses” for winter seed starting. 

 

The project with the library has sparked genuine excitement among the students—so much so that they eagerly participated in the Creation Care Day’s impressive seed swap, bringing in extra seeds from home to exchange for new varieties they are looking forward to planting.

 

Skyla Powell noted, “Volunteering at the Creation Care Day event was important because it provided exposure to plant life and the environment and other beneficial opportunities like the Virginia Master Naturalist program.” The impacts Chang and students Naomi Brashier, Aiden Gick, Hannah Huff, Kien Ly, David Morman, Skyla Powell, and Joetta Stevens are having are profound. By sharing practical skills, modeling environmental stewardship, and contributing to the development of a native plant garden, these students are helping to strengthen pollinator habitats, reduce waste, and cultivate a more sustainable community. Through their leadership and service, they are not only learning about conservation—they are actively shaping a greener future for Hampton.