From Staff Reports

ALABASTER — Thompson Sixth Grade Center teachers and faculty are seeking donations of gardening tools and outdoor equipment to use for a new after-school science club.

Through the club, students at the Thompson Sixth Grade Center and Thompson Intermediate School for the past few months have been able to get a hands-on experience while learning about several environmental issues, according to sixth-grade science teacher Lori Kerley.

“We are looking for things that will peak students’ interest and give them a more hands-on experience beyond their regular academic day,” Kerley wrote in a press release, noting more than 60 students have joined the club since it began in September.

During club meetings, students will complete projects focused on recycling, composting, gardening and water conservation.

To complete the projects, the school is seeking donations of gardening tools, picnic tables, vegetable and flower seeds, potting soil, aprons and gardening gloves. School officials also are requesting corporate and private donations to help finance a “top-notch outdoor environmental program,” and are seeking landscaping and gardening ideas from local gardeners and landscapers.