Growing a Garden of Hope: Our Journey to 2nd Place in the Division Enhanced Gulayan sa Paaralan

On an ordinary school day, when students were just starting to fill the corridors and teachers were settling into their classrooms, a piece of good news quietly arrived at Dr. Victoria B. Roman Memorial High School: the school had been awarded 2nd Place in the Division Enhanced Gulayan sa Paaralan. There was no big fanfare at first, only soft smiles, exchanged glances, and a shared sense of pride among those who knew how much work had been poured into every corner of the school garden.

The story did not begin with awards or recognition. It started with a few plots of soil at the side of the campus—simple beds planted with pechay, okra, talong, and kamatis. Under the heat of the sun, and sometimes under sudden rain, maintenance personnel and learners worked side by side to loosen the soil, plant seeds, and pull out weeds. Non-teaching personnel joined in, too, bringing in recycled containers, old pails, and plastic bottles that would later become improvised pots and vertical gardens. Parents donated seedlings and compost, while some community members dropped by to offer advice, share farming tips, or simply cheer them on.

Slowly, the small garden began to change. What used to be just a patch of green became an organised space with labelled plots, herb corners, vertical gardens hanging on fences, and walkways that led students from one vegetable bed to another. It was no longer just a garden; it was turning into a living classroom. Science lessons were held beside the ampalaya trellis. TLE classes taught learners how to plant, harvest, and even prepare simple dishes using the vegetables they grew. In HRG and Values classes, the garden became the backdrop for lessons about responsibility, discipline, patience, and care for the environment.

The impact of the Gulayan sa Paaralan was felt most clearly in the lives of the learners. Harvests from the garden were used to support nutrition-related activities in the school. Fresh vegetables were added to meals, helping improve the diet of selected students. For some learners, it was their first time to see how pechay or talbos ng kamote actually grew before it reached their plates. Vegetables became more than just food; they became part of a story they helped create with their own hands.

Beyond nutrition, the garden quietly taught another important lesson: stewardship. Learners saw how kitchen scraps could be turned into compost, how plastic bottles could be reused as planters, and how even a small corner of soil, if cared for properly, could become productive. They began to see that cleanliness, waste segregation, and respect for nature were not just rules to follow but habits that could change their surroundings. The garden became a daily reminder that caring for the Earth begins in simple, consistent actions.

Behind all these efforts was a strong sense of teamwork. The School Head and Gulayan focal person guided the program, making sure it remained part of the school’s priorities. Teachers and non-teaching personnel served as constant guardians of the garden, watching over it before classes, during breaks, and even after school hours. Learners took pride in watering, weeding, and harvesting. Parents, barangay officials, and other partners extended support whenever they could—through donations, manpower, or simple words of encouragement. Every small contribution added up, until the garden became a symbol of bayanihan.

So when the announcement finally came that Dr. Victoria B. Roman Memorial High School had won 2nd Place in the Division Enhanced Gulayan sa Paaralan, the recognition felt deeply personal. It was not just about having a beautiful garden; it was about the story behind it—the early morning clean-ups, the muddy shoes, the failed plantings that led to better ones, and the shared laughter during harvest time. The award became a mirror reflecting the school’s quiet, consistent work for health, learning, and the environment.

More than anything, the recognition served as a gentle challenge to continue. The school now dreams of expanding the garden further, exploring income-generating projects from harvested produce, and strengthening more learning activities anchored on Gulayan sa Paaralan. The goal is not only to maintain the garden but to let it grow into a lasting legacy for future learners.

In every leaf that unfurls and every fruit that ripens in the school garden, there is a story of patience, unity, and hope. The 2nd Place award is just one chapter. The real victory is seeing learners who are healthier, a campus that is greener, and a community that believes that even a small school garden can help shape a better, more sustainable future.