STATEN ISLAND, NY — Shana Taylor, owner of Koze Vibes Plant Shop Cafe, a place where you sip and repot plants, introduced the serenity of plant parenthood to students at her former elementary school.
Taylor said she wasn’t initially sure if the children were going to like working with dirt. “But they didn’t want any gloves and were like ‘no, let’s get in,’’’ she said.
A former student of P.S. 31, the New Brighton resident and business owner reached out to the school to teach a Learn and Grow segment. Soon after, unaware of Taylor’s request, a school staffer walked into her store and expressed a love for plants and a desire to bring them into the classroom.
Taylor brought two plants for the students to pot: a Wandering Dude, which originates from Central and South America, and a Spider Plant, native to South Africa.
“The kids loved the experience,” said Shana Taylor. “They hugged me. They thanked me. And they asked ‘Oh, am I coming back tomorrow?’”(Courtesy of Shana Taylor)Courtesy of Shana Taylor
“These are very easy care plants, so you really don’t need much maintenance with them,” she said. “They just require regular bright light and water once a week and then just leave them alone.”
The students first decorated the pots with stickers, then got their hands dirty when potting the plants. Accompanied by her mother, who provides delectable baked goods for her cafe, Taylor recalled the visit as a special, nostalgic moment.
“The kids loved the experience,’’ she said. “They hugged me. They thanked me. And they asked: ‘Oh am I coming back tomorrow.?’”
“The kids loved the experience,” said Shana Taylor. “They hugged me. They thanked me. And they asked: ‘Oh, am I coming back tomorrow?’” (Courtesy of Shana Taylor)Courtesy of Shana Taylor
Kids later visited the cafe — which is less than five blocks from the school – with their parents, buying cupcakes and more.
Taylor aims to connect with more schools, nursing homes,…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply