Submitted by STCC student Eunice Addae-Wusu
Good day readers! I am Eunice Addae-Wusu from beautiful Ghana. I am a Health Science major, and I hope to be a Nurse since I find joy in serving others.
Do you know what PTK is? I am honored to serve as the President of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society’s Alpha Psi Sigma chapter of STCC. Its mission is to recognize academic achievement and provide opportunities for Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship.
The name Phi Theta Kappa comes from the Greek letters ΦΘΚ, which stand for phronimon (wisdom), thumos (aspiration), and katharotes (purity). These values will guide members in their academic and personal growth. This is an international community with 1285 chapters. Members have access to exclusive scholarships, leadership training, and career advancement. One of the ways we meet these core values is through our Honors in Action project. This year our topic is environmental stewardship by creating awareness and sharing local success stories that align with the United Nations Sustainability Goals.
Recently our members visited the community gardens of Nuestras Raices to study their benefits. We were warmly welcomed by Nadia Kamel and Sasha Adams, who shared that eight vacant urban spaces in Holyoke were transformed into gardens that now support over 100 local families. This demonstrates their powerful role in promoting food security and responsible stewardship of the land.
We visited the Youth, Cuenta Conmigo, and the El Girasol gardens. The gardens were divided into plots where tomatoes, ají dulce sweet peppers, grapes, beans, peas, mint, oregano, and garlic chives were cultivated. I learnt the importance of cover-crops to prevent soil erosion and enrich the soil.
Nadia shared that beyond providing fresh produce, these gardens are safe spaces for social connection, cultural celebration, and learning. Families gather around picnic tables, children play, and the community comes together for events like the Jíbaro festival, where the lechón (whole pig) is roasted in a traditional caja china- just imagine this aroma of roasting permeating the entire neighborhood with hope and wellness. Community gardens indeed play a significant role in both our physical and mental health by reducing stress.
My favorite activity was planting garlic. This is a traditional fall practice that allows the garlic cloves to establish strong roots before the ground freezes, ensuring a rich harvest next year. Sasha shared her passion for environmental justice, explaining how heat island effect and higher pollution levels in Holyoke can be mitigated through urban gardens and tree planting. Her words reminded me that change begins with a decision and grows through persistent action.
Seeing how people come together to cultivate the land, celebrate their culture, and care for the environment reaffirmed for me that leadership is about service. I was particularly struck by the towering mammoth sunflowers in the garden. And as I walk forward, inspired by sunflowers that follow the sun, I hope to carry the light of learning and service into every part of my life. Thank you.
