Students plant flowers in downtown Bessemer, Hurley

Students from Washington Elementary School in Bessemer and Hurley K-12 School got their hands dirty Monday and planted flowers in their respective downtowns.

Washington Elementary School teacher Gene Goss and his fifth-grade students moved his class outside to enjoy the sunny weather and beautify their city.

"This is an excellent program here," Goss said. "The students are really good about taking care of the gardens during the summer."

All of this wouldn't have been possible without the supervision and planing by

Master Gardeners Lynn Adams, Kaye Johnson and others were out front of the Bessemer City Hall before the students arrived, setting out plants and preparing the soil beds and large planters that were to be moved to locations around downtown.

Goss said he appreciates what the Master Gardeners have done for the city of Bessemer.

"We're thankful that the Master Gardeners includes us in this project," said Goss, adding his class has been participating in the project for more than a dozen years.

In Hurley, third graders planted flowers in planters along Silver Street. The students worked in group of four or five, each with an adult, including the chief of police, a sheriff's deputy, city council members, chamber officials and business owners.

The Master Gardeners were on hand in Hurley as well, to help supervise and instruct.

Adams said she hopes the plantings encourage the kids and others to take pride in their town and make them happy to call it their own.

"This beautifies the community," Adams said. "We take pride in the community."