Lynn students experience a growth spurt

LYNN – Breanna Rodriguez and her fellow Drewicz School second-graders traded desks and pencils for sunshine and dirt Wednesday to spend an hour outdoors learning about gardening from an expert.Salvy the Florist general manager Salvatore Migliaccio walked the students through the basics of planting flowers and keeping them alive and offered some advice about his family?s line of work.?There?s nothing clean about gardening – it?s a very dirty business,” he said.That warning did not keep Rodriguez and her classmates from plunging their hands into buckets filled with dirt or offering their own insights into growing flowers and vegetables.?My favorite part is watering the seeds because you know they are going to grow big,” she said.The students left their plant class clutching small green plastic planters each containing a flower.?I?ll keep it in my home for a few days, and then I will plant it,” said Brandon Somaiy.Migliaccio said he has given planting lectures and handed out plants to students at several local schools during the last several years. He said he enjoys passing on to students the lessons in planting and gardening he learned as a boy from his parents and grandfather.?They get an opportunity for a hands-on experience with planting. Hopefully, it?s something they will always remember,” Migliaccio said.Drewicz teachers Hanna McKenzie and Shannon Crompton teach “life cycles” to their second-graders to help them understand the evolution of butterflies and plants. Migliaccio?s instruction fits perfectly, Crompton said, into the lesson plans.?It goes hand in hand,” she said.With help from School Committee members Charlie Gallo and Rick Starbard, Migliaccio filled planters with dirt while explaining how roots work and the dangers of giving plants too much water.?Plants will blossom and get bigger – just like you guys,” he said.Second-grader Cindy Concepcion plants flowers with her parents and looked forward to showing off her newfound gardening knowledge. Drewicz Principal Patricia Hebert said the watering and planting instructions Migliaccio gave the students won?t be forgotten after the school year ends.?Just learning about this and going home to plant is great,” he said.