INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The gardening club at Indianapolis Public Schools district’s Meredith Nicholson School 96 harvested its fields Monday.

The effort highlighted a very successful garden season.

The hands-on initiative spanned six weeks and brought together around 150 students across seven schools.

According to IPS, the fall program was the largest of its kind in the school district.

The district reports that, each week, students learned about the basics of plant care, the importance of healthy soil, and the intricacies of ecosystems in their community.

Brian Pachciarz, the athletic director at School 96, said the program lets students “take care of a garden on a daily basis, not just once-a-week kind of thing. But, it teaches responsibility, have a chance to be able to grow things and actually eat what they grow. And some, they can take home and do as well as home.”

Officials say the club was more than just about growing plants. It was about nurturing young minds and encouraging a sense of community.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.