February 15, 2008
By Michelle Chambers,
Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School

Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School and the Peterborough Golf and Country Club created a unique experience for high school students in my horticulture class last spring. Small groups of students had the opportunity to participate in a one-week, hands-on practicum at the golf course during horticulture class.  

The Peterborough Golf and Country Club is located across the road from the high school. One of the unique features of this golf course is that it is a member of the Audubon Co-operative Sanctuary System Outreach Program.

Greg O’Heron, superintendent of the golf course, approached the high school with the idea of creating this partnership. In the past, the golf course has been involved in semester-long co-op placements. The one-week program was different, in that it allowed the entire class to experience the turf industry.

The students worked with Peterborough Golf and Country Club head gardener Tara DeBlois to prepare and plant the many diverse gardens on the golf course. This offered a fantastic opportunity for the students to work with professionals in a spectacular golf course environment. My students are still talking about being at the golf course. For many, it was the highlight of the course.