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Phi Theta Kappa lends hand at Pathfinder Preschool

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) completed their third annual garden clean up on Saturday, April 27 at Pathfinder Preschool located in Jacksonville, AR.

The students, faculty, and Pathfinder staff collaborated together to plant strawberries, squash, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables and fruits.

One student stated that her biggest takeaway from the day was “how wonderful it feels when people come together to help the community and accomplish a project”.

Pathfinder Preschool Director, Debbie Scharbor, said, “I feel blessed having this group help with our learning garden. The children enjoy learning how to take care of the garden, and they especially love seeing the fruits and vegetables start to grow.”

One of the students enjoyed her time at the garden so much that she volunteered to be a garden whisperer and plans to come weekly to pick weeds and water plants.

Wilma Tolbert-Smith said, “I have worked in preschool districts for over 15 years, and I just have a passion for kids and challenges. The biggest take away from today was meeting Ms. Debbie and Ms. Desiree and knowing more about helping others and gardening. Love, care, and passion for what they do.”

Faculty advisors, Jessica Wise and Meredith Stanton, both stated that they look forward to this day every year.

“It’s an enjoyable event for all involved.” Phi Theta Kappa President, Kade Armond, who will graduate in May, said, “It was a great time. It just saddens me that my time with PTK has been so short.”

The team left energized and were already planning out ideas to make next year even better. What a beautiful day!

Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society that promotes academic excellence. Members are eligible to compete for scholarships, to participate in regional, national, and international meetings and institutes, and to attend workshops on leadership and scholarships. Additional information about Phi Theta Kappa is available by visiting uaptc.edu/ptk.