Episode 5: The Jesse Higginbotham Memorial Garden

17-year-old Jesse Higginbotham had many admirable qualities; which of these you might hear depends on who you ask. But the single quality that resounds among Jesse's loved ones? Light. This episode features Mrs. Wendy Turner, Mr. Jim Adams and senior Yutong Gu. Several weeks ago in the midst of senior prank season, Jesse's parents arrived at the school, their car rolling under toilet paper that had been strewn over the trees. Jesse's father, Jerome, said that he thought it was harmless. However, when the couple pulled around to work on the garden that following Monday, they found "WE WILL WALK" painted across the picnic tables by the cafeteria. These tables, each of which represents a Dunbar student who has died during attendance, are painted with the students' favorite colors and symbols. Hannah's table is purple with hands shaped into hearts. Jesse's yellow table is decorated with simple video game characters. Many students don't know this; few ever venture outside to eat lunch. By the end of the day, Jesse's parents had painted over the vandalism and again worked on the garden. They love the school and the students so much and serve to make Dunbar beautiful in times of sadness. If you would like to help, come to Dunbar, preferably around the back, every sunny or cloudy Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. You might want to wear old clothes and be prepared to get messy to create something beautiful. Explore more of the plant species at jessehigginbotham.com/nativeplantlist.pdf.