Empowering Moss Point Students: How Tree Planting Initiatives are Transforming the Environment and Combating Flooding

MOSS POINT, Miss. – A new garden is on the horizon at Kreole Primary Elementary School. What was once just an empty space filled with mulch will soon bloom with trees and bushes.

Principal Jaworski Rankin says this change is essential. The school has faced serious flooding during heavy rains. “When it pours, our campus often floods. We sometimes had to move students and staff to safer places,” Rankin shared. “This new garden project will help us manage the water better, so we can focus on what really matters: educating our students.”

The garden is designed to collect rainwater. It will store the water and then direct it into the city’s drainage system. This process is a natural way to reduce flooding while also benefiting the environment.

Arien Hall, co-owner of Mastodonte, LLC, explained that they’ve already tested the system. “During recent rains, it worked well. It not only holds a lot of water but the special soil mix we used absorbs even more. The plants will also draw in water, helping to keep the area dry,” Hall noted.

This initiative is funded by an EPA grant, organized by the Department of Marine Resources and the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. However, it’s the students of Moss Point School District who really brought this project to life.

Rankin added, “There’s a connection between our elementary and high school students working together on this. It’s going to have a lasting impact on their future.”

The school expects to complete the garden by Sunday.