Leadership Garden

Believing that all students can learn and be successful members of society, the Nap Ford Community School's mission is to provide educational programs and services, which foster academic success, health and wellness. On Friday, February 12th, central Florida CSX employees partnered with local high school and college volunteers, the City of Orlando and City Year to contribute to the school's mission.

A volunteer paints an Adinkra to adorn the Nap Ford Community School leadership garden. The symbol represents the theme of service and leadership in West African philosophy.

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Liana Ponce, City Year-Miami Care Force Member, heard from Nap Ford's principal and a group of students about the philosophy and mission of the school. It was that philosophy and mission that inspired the main project – a leadership garden. Volunteers planted four areas and created a rock garden for the center patio. Each area incorporated Adinkra symbols (see photo) and was designed to represent a theme of West African philosophy – leadership, transformation, health and wellness and peach and harmony. School students also created their own works of art to be added to the garden, which will now serve as an area in which they can learn and reflect.

Everyone pitched in to beautify the school grounds. The 246 volunteers had a full day, providing 492 hours of work and completing a huge number of tasks including, painting murals, installing 150 plants in the garden, moving three tons of rock and building and decorating 50 birdhouses, wind chimes and pin wheels.

Nap Ford Community School is a charter school dedicated to educating the whole child – mind, body and spirit. CSX's ongoing partnership with City Year enabled the school to further advance its mission.