They participate in the youth contests, contribute items for The Iris Fan, attend Region 18 tours and auctions, and serve their local affiliates in a host of ways -- helping at shows & sales, maintaining public gardens, donating rhizomes, even serving as club officers. Presently, Stephanie Rust is President of the Washington (MO) Iris Club and Joshua Winzer served Treasurer of the Augusta (KS) Iris Society.

Many names of the region's 41 regular youths and 64 Classroom Iris Project (CIP) youth members show up in yearly show reports and some youths have even won Best in Show.  For some clubs, it is not unusual to have 30 or 40 stalks in the Youth Horticulture Division of shows, a dozen or so youth designs and several Educational Exhibits.  When show visitors notice these beautiful youth displays they are excited and amazed.  Perhaps they go home thinking all's right with the world.

Also of note in Region 18:  six Classroom Iris Projects!  It all started on a hot August day in 1996 when Kirkwood Iris Society members built a 40' x 8' raised planting site at Southview School.  Southview is a public, special-education building with a diverse student populations aged 3 to 21.  The focus at Southview is on "ability" rather than "disability" with some students mentally and physically challenged, while others work to improve speed, socialization and behavior skills.

A few weeks later, eight students of teacher Laura Sturm signed up as AIS youth members and started the first CIP in Region 18.  They planted about 175 donated bearded and beardless iris varieties, careful to place the garden markers by the correct rhizomes.  A "practice" iris show was planned for the following May and a show schedule was printed up with a "Solar System" theme, as it fit in with the curriculum.  Since the iris growth was deemed quite good, the show schedule was sent off for AIS approval and Southview's first annual show became sanctioned and judged.  Both adults and youths entered, and students, staff, bus drivers and people from the community came to see it.  One of the youth design classes was titled "Space Junk," requiring the use of something recyclable in the design.  The students were very creative with this.  Best of Show, fittingly, was won by a youth with SILVERADO.  

Future shows, always held on a Wednesday during the school day, had such titles as The Inventors, Holidays with Irises, The Iris Arena (sports), It's an Iris Zoo, and Irises Around the World.

Beginning with the 1999 show, another CIP group from across town, sponsored by the Greater St. Louis Iris Society, began attending and entering the Southview iris shows.  These students, led by teacher Val Mertz, were from Marquette High School, and they brought their entries over on their school bus (imagine that!).  They take turns clerking the show, but their favorite activity is helping Southview students with the annual sensory iris art activity.  They have lunch with Southview CIP students and are given a tour of the garden plus a hybridizing lesson by a Southview student.  It has been a great experience for both groups each year.

In 1998, Southview students and their irises were featured on the school district calendar.  In 1999, CIP student Joyce Fields won the AIS Essay Contest.  Footage from the 2001 iris show was aired on the evening news by a local TV station, and in 2002 Southview students were excited by a visit from Bernard Pryor, Louisiana iris hybridizer from Australia.

Back to Top

A patch of ground was already plowed and ready for plantings of iris, daylilies and a dozen lily bulbs before they moved to North Newton.  His son lives about 4 blocks from the village and here Adam continues to grow about 125 varieties of iris.  He hopes to continue his hobby for another few years and has plans to introduce an iris next year when he will be 100 years young.

Halstead may no longer be Adam's home but his garden still lives!!  Thanks to a Classroom Iris Project started last year at the Halstead Grade School.  The children have planted 100s of rhizomes donated by club members from the Hutchinson, Wichita and Augusta Iris Clubs.  AIS dues for the youth are being paid by the Wichita Club and, the Hutchinson Club purchased metal labels and markers for the project.  Bonnie Chronister, the teacher, has youth of all ages involved including kids with special needs -- from gifted children to those with learning disabilities.  The youth group meets after school with everyone digging and planting.

A section of the garden beneath the library windows contain iris varieties registered and introduced by Adam.  As a community service project, freshman Girl Scout Krista McKay has worked with her father to frame the beds.  She is also in charge of spring weeding and watering along with the youth group.  She has also arranged for her Grandfather to design and make a plaque honoring Adam that will be placed permanently in the commemorative garden.

Plans for the group include a trip to visit Adam this spring.  He will show them how to make crosses.  Perhaps someday we'll have a new hybridizer from Halstead!!  2003 will be the first bloom for the garden, so let's hope for a good one!!