For St. Peter School Principal Joan Sickinger, it was a match made in heaven. Pairing Yard Works of Warwick with primary grade students for distance learning seemed like a perfect fit.

It was auspicious for science instructor Michael Lombardo as well, who teaches the subject from kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Peter. His life science lesson plan for the younger set was already in the works. While Lombardo had already gathered seeds, Bridget Bugbee of Yard Works was setting aside 100 marigold seedlings for distribution to the children. "Even better," Lombardo said.

Yard Works, located on Warwick Avenue, has been at its present location for over 40 years. It all began with brothers Kevin and Michael Fox, who began mowing lawns when they were young. Bridget remembers their mother answering phone calls at the kitchen table, while telling Mike to get up in the morning. "He was not an early riser," Bridget notes.

The family station wagon carried the lawnmower, and soon Kevin and Michael recruited the youngest sibling of the twelve, Joe, whom their mother refers to as "the caboose." Both Kevin and Michael went on to become business graduates of Providence College, and now handle the design aspect of the business, while Bridget and Joe earned degrees in plant and soil sciences from the University of Rhode Island. It's a family affair!" says Bridget. There is always a family member involved at Yard Works, helping with the billing or setting up displays. The family business that grew now boasts six greenhouses.

Yard Works is utilizing curbside pick up for the students' parents. Bridget selected marigolds for the science project, which she determined would be easy to measure in height, fun to count the leaves and mark off the days until the bloom, and because it is a hardy plant, the children would feel successful. "It's an easy plant to work with," she said. She left the directions and lesson plans to the teacher.

With backgrounds in both chemistry and English, Lombardo has assigned his students to make daily observations, include photographs, and write weekly reports in their journals. Through these guidelines the young scholars will analyze their findings, develop skills of observation, and document change over time. Lombardi has been managing his classes through the Google Classroom tool since distance-learning went into effect in March. For kindergarten through third grade alone he has 80 students. He also implements Zoom teleconferencing, for background understanding of the lessons, with less minutes for his younger students. He finds teaching science to them fascinating. "They are curious about things!" Lombardo's classes are developing skills which are applied in the lab, in this case, their individual gardens.

Principal Sickinger, who retires this June with 40 years as an educator and administrator, is delighted with what she has seen so far. Parents have submitted photographs of their children with their plant projects. "Bridget has been very cooperative, and Mr. Lombardo was receptive. He ran with it!" she said warmly. It's the hands-on approach Lombardo is accustomed to, albeit with distance learning, although he does see his students riding their bikes in the neighborhood, presumably after they have watered their plants.