DECATUR - Matt and Leigh Ann Grossman's toddler son, Ja ;cob, died in 2005 as the result of injuries from a fall while he was in someone else's care.

"A local contractor wanted to put a tree out here at Baby TALK in Jake's memory," Matt Grossman said. "We thought about starting a memorial garden, so I came up with a few designs and talked with Claudia Quigg and Betsy Osman here."

Last year, someone donated enough money to create that garden, which is under way at Baby TALK now. On Friday, students from St. Teresa High School helped landscape the area.

The garden eventually will in ;clude a sculpture by Diana Manning, who taught art at St. Teresa before becoming a full-time artist, and memorial bricks lining the walk that faces Lake Shore Drive and a stunning view of Lake Deca ;tur. The Grossman family, many of whom are St. Teresa alumni, pitched in to buy the ornamental plants that will beautify the garden.

Twice a year, St. Teresa students serve the community to mark Lend A Hand Day. Students do yard work for senior citizens, help out at Catholic Charities, Good Samaritan Inn and other agencies, said campus minister Dan Boynton.

The school's motto is "Serviam," Latin for "I serve," he said.

"All of our student body is out at various sites throughout the entire town," he said. "It's a school day for us. We've got over 300 kids out in the community and the entire faculty, also."

Melissa Lynch, who teaches theology at the school, coordinates the volunteer sites with various contacts she has, and alumni also call if they know of a task for students. It's a good way for students to count their blessings, Boynton said.

"Just to understand how blessed they are and how they can pass that blessing along to other people," he said.

Students replaced old landscaping around Baby TALK's building with new mulch, wildflowers and ornamental bushes. About half the planting will be finished before winter, and the rest will be done next spring, said Betsy Osman, director of development.

"We're just trying to help out the community and get a little work done," said Tyler Scherer, a senior at St. Teresa.

"It's kind of our job to help out the community, because they've done so much to help us," said his classmate, Jack White. "It's just nice to give back."

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