LUGOFF, Sc. (WACH) --- A Kershaw County high school is using gardening to unite students with or without special needs.

"What we try to do here is to make sure that we're not doing it for our students with disabilities, but we're doing it with them," said Ashley Middleton, a teacher with Lugoff-Elgin High School.

The unity garden at Lugoff-Elgin High started five years ago, bringing students with special needs and those without together - benefitting everyone.

"Teach our students without disabilities how to be better management, how to be better workers, and how to collaborate with people with unique and diverse needs," explained Middleton.

It's an activity that even reaches families, especially with brother and sister duo, Mikel and Brianna.

"I love doing this stuff, I'm not sure about her," joked Mikel.

Mikel has special needs and has been working in the garden since it was built.

His sister, Brianna, volunteers with his class.

"My brother's a part of it and all the kids are so nice and sweet and stuff," said Brianna.

Lugoff-Elgin is one of fourteen high schools in the state to be named a unified champion school by the Special Olympics.

Schools need campus wide activities and curriculum, like the unity garden, to reach that.

"What can our students do in the home and what can they do at school that will transfer?" said Middleton.

Each student gets to choose how they work in the garden.

They even get the chance to give feedback on what they want more or less of.

"They get to fill out a checklist of job skills. They'll be like, 'Yes I like working outside,' and then you bring them out and they're like, 'Nope, I do not like this. This is hot and it is dirty. Take me away,'" explained Middleton.

But more often than not, they're excited to head back outside.

"I've been doing this since last year," said Andrew Conner Eunice, a student in the class. "Oh yeah I'll keep on!"

The school just received a grant from Clemson Extension to do more work.

Both students and teachers hope to see the garden continue to grow.

"It's gotten bigger and bigger each year and I'm just happy I don't have to go into my pocket for it," laughed Middleton.