CHULA VISTA, Calif .– Thursday was orientation day two at a San Diego County high school where teachers and students found a peaceful way to return to class after a year of home study.

The students of Chula Vista High School were back on the school grounds. But instead of being at a desk, they were gardening.

“It’s a wasteland that we turned into an organic garden,” said Maria Gallaher, teacher in the social justice and food class.

She runs the 90-minute college credit option outside in the garden where students create soil, compost, and plant fruits and vegetables.

“The students have been in front of a screen for over a year, [with] not a lot of social interactions and they say the anxiety comes back. We want to create a stress free place, ”said Gallaher.

“I love the garden. I’ve felt so much happier since COVID and all. I’m inside a lot, I’m never outside. I just felt relieved and I didn’t feel sad anymore. It’s the first time that I feel happy in about two years, ”said Evalina Moreno, sophomore student at Chula Vista High School.

The garden has been around for six years and the course has become so popular that they now offer five courses.

“I would recommend it for students who are stressed out or for personal reasons. It’s very relaxing,” said Ingrid Delgado, sophomore at Chula Vista High School.

“I was tense and it was like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders and it will be especially nice for other students who might need it in the future,” said Kevin Gonzalez, sophomore at the Chula Vista high school.

Students also have a Instagram pages where students post photos of student activities and the beautiful garden.