Over April vacation, the Boothbay region’s school grounds are usually very still and quiet. But this year, on April 24 and 26, the grounds were alive with the sounds of shovels, digging and laughter.

A team of kid volunteers took time out of their vacation to help with the second stage of creating the school's “Forest Garden,” a project approved back in February by the Community School District trustees and spearheaded by freshman Riley Spear.

A “Forest Garden” is a special kind of garden where every plant exists in a symbiotic relationship. Included in planting were three peach trees, three elderberry bushes, and several wild Maine blueberry bushes.

“I'm hoping the fresh peaches will be used for school lunches,” Spear said. “And that families will visit the garden with their kids and feel free to pick blueberries and peaches to enjoy.”

The garden is behind the school near the new tennis courts. It is open to the community to come and enjoy, with no walls around it or locks. All the students ask is that visitors be respectful.

Faculty adviser Bryan Dionne helped out during the planting. The garden project started out as an assignment for health class, a project to make a positive difference in the community.

“We have completed the first two stages of the project,” Dionne said. “We have two or three stages to go, which involve putting down walkways, and mulching the garden and putting in plants that don't like the cold weather.”

Some of the volunteers were members of the track team who, after practice, stayed to help out.

“It's nice knowing that I can help the community,” Spear said. “And we had a lot of fun working together.”

Related: A peachy idea