Sierra Vista, Arizona — The Cochise County Superintendent’s Office and New Crossroads Academy have teamed up to create a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) garden for students, teachers and the community to enjoy.

On Tuesday, 13 students at Skills Private Academy spent an hour learning about bats and their impact on the environment. Then they planted agave and other plants in the garden. The purpose of this project was to create a safe haven for bats.

“It’s a hands-on experience for kids, which is beneficial,” said Nicole Johnston of Skills Private Academy. “It helps teach kids that just being alone isn’t always necessary.” with our academic brains. We can work on that too and really make a big difference in the world. ”

New Crossroads Academy principal Ben Reyna says plants are the first step in creating a space for science. Cochise County is part of a bat migration route, so he wanted to create space for bats. Reina said she plans to set up a bat box to provide a platform for speaking out, and to install video cameras so that students and local residents can check on bat visits and bat frequency.

“It was a lot of fun,” Reina said of the morning’s tree-planting event. “I love how excited they were.

Funding for the garden comes from various grants and is an ongoing project. Renya said she hopes to add fruits and vegetables to the garden that students and local residents can pick as needed.

Teachers may contact the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office if they would like to use the space next to the Sierra Vista office.