Cartmell Elementary teacher Diane McCarthy never set out to become a gardener, but she’s now the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts Teacher of the Year, an honor she credits to a project that sprouted from one student’s dream.
McCarthy coaches the school’s Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) and has led her students in creating the Sellers Community Garden in memory of Deacon Sellers. Deacon was an STLP member who perished in a tragic house fire last year and had a dream to feed his community through a public garden.
“That was Deacon’s dream when he entered STLP,” McCarthy said. “His classmates decided to keep it as a project dedicated to him. It literally started as a seed.”
According to Elizabeth Mefford, a master gardener and district administrator in the Carroll County Conservation District office, they nominated Mrs. McCarthy because she has been a cornerstone of Carroll County education for the last five years and she has cultivated a classroom environment where students engage in hands-on learning activities about soil, water, and natural resource conservation and protection.
“The Sellers Community Garden project was a significant piece to Diane being selected,” Mefford said. “The garden project is providing nourishment to the community in the traditional sense, but also growing empathy, perseverance, and teamwork in participating students, and the community as a whole.”
The Sellers Community Garden began with planting seeds in a grow tower located in the school library during the winter, then moved outdoors in the spring. They had a lot of help from Mefford and the Carroll County Conservation District to learn how to plant properly and what crops grow well together.
Along the way, McCarthy secured a grant, joined the local conservation district committee, and rallied community support. Volunteers built raised beds, donated soil and seeds, and even helped secure a produce stand so the harvest could be shared with the community.
When the team presented the project at the STLP state competition in April, they earned an impressive 98 out of 100 points. “I told them, ‘You made Deacon proud,’” McCarthy said. “This was the best we had done as a school.”
The garden now produces kale, herbs, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, edible flowers, and more. In July, the team added kale to the free summer food giveaway boxes, including recipe cards and a note about Deacon’s story. The garden’s produce stand is located outside the school library and allows neighbors to take or leave fresh vegetables.
“This project will have a lasting impact on Cartmell students and our community. Her dedication to the students in the Cartmell STLP program is a great example of Empowering Integrity and Engaging Community. The award is certainly a demonstration of our vision of #cctop10,” said Carroll County Schools Superintendent Casey Jaynes.
McCarthy’s dedication to weaving conservation into her classroom lessons also stood out to the award committee. From studying the life cycle of ladybugs to watching bald eagles on live cams, she finds ways to connect students to the natural world. “I try to integrate science and nature wherever I can,” she said.
Winning Teacher of the Year was humbling for McCarthy. “Out of 120 counties, I was chosen and that’s a huge honor,” she said. “I didn’t expect it, but I’m grateful. This has been a way to keep Deacon’s name alive, and that’s helping me process our loss of him.”
McCarthy said she sees the project growing for years to come. “Gardening has become something that gives me peace,” she said.