Using a pivotal moment in his life to find a passion, Stony Point High School student Harold Brown has developed a love of gardening as a result of previously assigned service work.

As part of his community service hours, Brown decided to work in the Stony Point Environmental Club butterfly garden. He was invited to work in the garden by his reading teacher, Pam Bethke.

Bethke started the garden in 2015 with the help of an Excellence in Education grant from the Partners in Education (PIE) Foundation in the amount of $2,987. She also received a $1,000 grant in 2016 from A+ Federal Credit Union to add additional beds. The Monarch Way Station or garden was started because the Environmental Awareness club that Bethke sponsors wanted a project that fit the motto of “Think Global-Act Local.” After researching the importance of the monarch butterfly to Texas crops, the students decided to move forward with the garden.

“The reason I started working was because I got into a little trouble,” Brown said. “The reason I kept working in the garden was because I fell in love with it. I like that it takes time and you have to use your mind and your hands. I also like the butterflies. That might not sound very manly, but they make me feel peaceful.”

Harold has taken ownership in the garden and has a hand in all facets of its maintenance from building irrigation ditches to expanding the garden to other parts of the campus. The garden has become a point of pride for Stony Point.

“This isn’t just an environmental club garden,” Brown said. “It’s a Stony Point thing.”

All of the groups at Stony Point have a part in maintaining the garden. Bethke was even able to get funding from Round Rock ISD to make the garden handicap accessible.

Brown says his grades have improved since he started working in the garden because it helps him focus. He loves the work so much that he planted a garden for his mom in their front yard. He worked on the garden for an entire day and planted jalapenos, tomatoes and flowers.

Brown has also seen an improvement in behavior since he started working in the garden. He says the garden helps him blow off steam. He credits his teacher and mentor, Pam Bethke, for helping him make positive changes.

“Mrs. Bethke is always there for me no matter what,” Brown said. “She’s my go to adult. She leaves her problems at the door when she comes into this building. There aren’t many teachers like her that you can just talk to and know they care. Words cannot describe how much passion this lady has. She wants to see us succeed and graduate and we can feel that.”

Bethke says she knows that Harold will do wonderful things with his life.