Legacy in Janet’s classroom takes shape through systems built and sustained by students. The garden isn’t a side project; it’s integrated into how students learn about energy, water, food systems, and community relationships. For example, in one project, students explored the history of irrigation in Arizona, including learning from Indigenous practices, early coal-based energy systems, and current shifts to solar. They invited elders from a nearby retirement community to share personal experiences with heating and energy use over time. These conversations helped students make sense of how energy decisions affect people and places and how those decisions change over time.

From there, students designed solar-powered irrigation systems, set up composting from school lunches, and planted seasonal crops. They created signs and presentations to explain the science behind what they were doing. Some helped lead school-wide events or tours of the garden. Janet describes how some students return even years later, excited to see the garden still growing and to share updates on how they’ve continued these ideas in high school or with their families.