Anna's Garden,
Benito Middle School
This is a special place at Anna’s middle school that can be used by students and teachers alike for thought and reflection. It is on the grounds of Benito Middle School in Tampa, Florida. Benito is the school that Anna attended for sixth and seventh grade. And this is the school Anna was returning back to at the end of October.
Anna attended school with these children since the first grade at Hunter’s Green Elementary. Anna’s girl scout sister’s troop #1714 first came up with the idea of the garden. Then all of her eighth grade classmates soon joined in saying that they wanted to leave something behind as they moved onto high school, so that the children after them would know of Anna and her special way of loving, giving and acceptance. Mrs. Leslie Vernon Blake, Anna’s girl scout troop leader since first grade, and all of the other girl scouts and their mothers have played an instrumental part in making this happen. Also, Dr. Bobby Smith, Anna’s principal at Benito, has supported and helped all along the way. We could not have come this far without them.
Not only is there a beautiful garden that the kids have planted, we are also making a wall of tiles, that the children and their families have painted with special drawings or sayings about Anna.Then the tiles will be placed on a wall in the garden to make a beautiful mosaic painting.
Children from fourth to seventh grade have said that are excited about caring for the garden when it becomes their time to do so. They want to keep the garden just as beautiful as Anna as the years go by. They have a real pride in ownership.
The garden was dedicated June 2008. There is a bronzed memorial with a picture of my Anna and a beautiful saying that the children picked.
If I planted a flower each
time I thought of you,
I could walk in my garden forever…
Thank you to dedication and hard work of all who made this possible.
