Grant aims to help grow St. Regis
ST. REGIS - A new greenhouse is coming to St. Regis Schools with help from a grant.
Gothic Arch Greenhouses recently awarded St. Regis $2,500 for a new greenhouse construction. The school will use the funds to replace a smaller house that is already on school property.
The Agriculture Education Greenhouse Project aims to provide St. Regis students with inquiry-based education in areas like plant sciences in a controlled environment.
The greenhouse would be used academically for cross-curricular instruction between the science and agriculture education department. The business department would also participate offering spring plant sales.
“The money is going towards building a greenhouse on the school grounds for the new agriculture education program in partnership with business and science programs,” said Brandon Braaten, agriculture educator at St. Regis.
This is the first year the grant has been awarded. St. Regis was one of four schools across the United States to receive this grant, and this was also the first year of the agriculture program in St. Regis.
“It is our intent to provide continuing support to members of NAAE to acquire the tools necessary to teach the vital skills of horticulture to the next generation,” said Buzz Sierke, president and CEO of Gothic Arch Greenhouses, Inc. “We commend and support those who continually raise the bar for future generations. Those who provide our youth with the knowledge and ability to help feed society and to create a more sustainable, safer world are the silent heroes.”
The National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) is the professional organization in the United States for agricultural educators.
According to Braaten, the Greenhouse will be completed by December 1. The Gothic Arch grant will cover $2,500 for the greenhouse, and the school will have to come up with about $3,750. He said the school also received a $2,500 Future Farmers of America Food for All grant.
Braaten’s grant proposal said the program started with 65 students participating in classes like junior high agriculture education, natural resources, college and careers preparation, woods and drafting technology, veterinary science, agriculture mechanics and carpentry. Grades 7-12 can take agriculture courses as electives.
A horticulture/floriculture class will be offered in which students will investigate a career in landscaped design and greenhouse management as well as floral design.
Students will learn the study of photosynthesis, glycolysis, and will participate in science fair projects that could be presented locally and potentially at the state FFA agri-science fair.
The program would also support the school garden, which would provide fresh produce for school lunches.
“The greenhouse and expansion of the school garden will help connect for kids where their food comes from in addition serve as a handout practical setting for numerous educational lessons,” Braaten said. “We have started a great FFA chapter here this year as well and have had some success already and are looking forward to the next year.”
The purpose of FFA is to develop student’s personal and academic interests in agricultural education, and to potentially prepare them for a career in agriculture.