PLANTS IN EDUCATION

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Next we take you to a middle school in Seoul where classrooms are decorated with all kinds of plants. By taking care of the plants, students can forget about their smartphones at least for a short while and get in close touch with nature.

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Students prepare snacks with special care. The main ingredient: young sprouts, planted and cultivated by the students. Two empty classrooms in this school were joined to create an indoor garden. The students plant and re-pot vegetables. Some of their crops include such rare plants like banana and coconut trees. After-school classes are also held next to the garden.

[Soundbite] SONG YE-HYUN(MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT) : "The air feels fresh in here, and the greenery helps my eyes relax. It is also helpful for our science class."

This garden is called "Plants for the Soul." The name was coined by the students, who wanted to turn it into a space of respite and inspiration. This school is the first in the nation to use gardening as a way to solve problems that many teenagers face these days.

[Soundbite] YOO SEUNG-JONG(CEO OF GARDEN PRODUCTION COMPANY) : "The goal of this program is to help solve such teenage problems like bullying as well as addiction to smartphones and other digital devices."

About 360 million won have been invested in creating the garden. The Seoul City Government plans to set up similar facilities in two all-girls high schools within this year.