Weeds are dying and inclusion is sprouting during Sprout and Shout Fridays at Eisenhower High School.

Sprout and Shout Fridays is an offshoot of the Eisenhower Partners Club which brings together students with and without disabilities for the purpose of maintaining the school’s landscaping.

“We were asked to help with maintaining the outside area. We took over the circle driveway in front. We call it Sprout and Shout Fridays,” said EHS teacher Becca Wyatt, who sponsors the Partners Club along with Brandie Knutson.

Aug. 28 was the first time the two groups of students met to work on their task.

“Last week we took the groups to the garden area and introduced them to what a weed was and what a flower was. We allowed the students to pull the weeds,” Wyatt said. “Today we will continue to make the garden beautiful.”

Although there are about 40 total students in the club, only about 20 work on the landscaping at the same time, which students do during third hour.

Lily Wyatt is one of the leaders of Partners Club and explained how the project came about.

“We wanted to do something new with the students and teach them a life skill,” Lily Wyatt said. “Gardening is something we can do the rest of our life. We wanted to get them outside. It benefits others by teaching them skills they may not know, a skill we may all come to love.”

Kamieron Sockbeson-Bell said she enjoys working with other students.

“It’s going pretty good. I like helping people work together. I’m looking forward to bonding more with the athletes and the partners since I’m new to the school," said the ninth grade softball player.

This is Angel Caraveo’s second year in the Partners Club, and he said he joined because he wanted to get out of his comfort zone and do something new.

“I think weeding with the athletes helps them in the future,” Caraveo said of the project. “This is something they can do in their free time.”

He said both sets of students are learning to work with others, which will be a benefit later in life.

“It makes your life easier,” Caraveo said.

Once the students have finished weeding the circle in front of the school, they will move to the north side.

“We will work around our whole campus to get it nice, not just what people can see,” Lily Wyatt said.

Weeding isn’t the only task the students will be involved in. Becca Wyatt said once Spring planting season arrives, the students will plant more flowers.

“We will incorporate other ideas into it and show them which seeds will grow,” she said.