Hayes Students Turn Native Plant Lessons into Real-Life Rain Garden

Hands-on learning connects students to water, pollinators, and native plants

As part of our ongoing efforts in community partnerships and water education, Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) is excited to support another phase of water resource learning at Hayes Elementary in Fridley. This spring, students took their classroom lessons outside to help build a rain garden on school grounds—turning what they’ve learned about native plants and stormwater into real-world action.

This project is part of a multi-year collaboration between RCWD, Hayes Elementary, and Growing Green Hearts, a local nonprofit that integrates science and sustainability into K-12 education. Together, we’ve been working to inspire a new generation of water stewards by connecting students with native plants and the important role they play in our ecosystems, especially in our fresh waterbodies.

In past years, students started native prairie seeds in their classrooms through the Prairie Plants as Superheroes Relay program, developed by Heidi Ferris at Growing Green Hearts. The idea is simple and powerful: native plants are nature’s superheroes, cleaning water, filtering air, and providing habitat for pollinators like bumble bees and butterflies.

This year, they’re taking it one step further—planting those very seedlings into a functioning rain garden that will soak up stormwater from the school’s roof via a downspout. Instead of running off into the storm drain system, the water will now be captured, filtered, and absorbed by deep-rooted native plants.

---

Kendra Sommerfeld, RCWD Outreach & Communications Manager stated, “At RCWD, we’re looking for creative ways to engage students and younger generations in protecting our water resources. Supporting projects like this helps us reach them and show that they can make a difference in water quality even at school. These projects will also last for years to come so every year students will be able to interact and learn from them.”

The rain garden is made possible through funding from Anoka Soil & Water Conservation District’s (Anoka SWCD) Pollinator Pathway grant and RCWD’s outreach program. Anoka SWCD staff also assisted with the installation of the rain garden and helped students plant.

We’re also working with the school to install an educational sign that will explain the purpose and benefits of the rain garden. The sign will even feature student artwork—another way we’re helping kids feel connected to their environment and the learning process.

The rain garden won’t just be a one-time planting—it will be a long-term outdoor classroom. Students will continue growing and adding plants, watching pollinators, and learning how their actions protect our water.

---