Greenhouse Addition
By Joslyn Schrank on April 17, 2018
The Bridgewater-Emery school added an extra addition to the school before the 2017-2018 school year. The B-E school applied for a grant- which they received- to add a greenhouse across the street on the north side of the school.
“We thought the greenhouse would be a great hands-on learning opportunity for students. It gives the students real-life, hands-on experiences,” agricultural teacher Karen Roudabush said.
The greenhouse was needed for the two classes B-E offers STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and greenhouse management. STEM is a class that combines all the previously stated areas. The STEM class focuses on managing the aquaponics system in the greenhouse while the greenhouse management class works to grow herb, vegetable and flower plants in the greenhouse.
Receiving the greenhouse allows the greenhouse management class to gain more information about plants, flowers and leadership skills. Students learn how to manage the greenhouse along with how to plant, manage and maintain diverse types of herb, vegetable and flower plants. It helps FFA members with CDEs such as natural resources and floriculture.
The new addition to our school, the greenhouse, allows the STEM class to grasp a better understanding of how aquaponics systems work. The STEM class currently has five Tilapia fish. The STEM class learns how to grow plans within the aquaponic system along with raising the fish.
“As being equipment manager, I’ve really enjoyed my position. I spend most of my time in the greenhouse, learning new things, watering the plants and feeding the fish. I enjoy nature and the outdoors, so by having this greenhouse, I can enjoy growing plants and raising fish no matter the temperature outside,” junior Jevin Eddy said.
The greenhouse is maintained by a committee of students taking the greenhouse management class. Students applied by filling out an application and were selected for positions the teacher thought fit the student.
The greenhouse’s temperature is controlled by two different thermometers. The greenhouse is to stay between 80 and 90 degrees, with one thermometer set at 80 and the other at 90. When the greenhouse becomes too hot, the fans in the back and front of the greenhouse automatically open. When the greenhouse becomes too cold, the heater automatically kicks in. During the winter, the greenhouse is kept warm by a propane gas heater and in the summer, it is kept cool by an evaporating cooling system.
“The greenhouse is beneficial to our community because of the vegetables and flowers we plan on selling in our plant sale. Normally, folks would have to drive to Mitchell to obtain their plants for gardening but by having a greenhouse in town, we are able to help people out in that way. The greenhouse is beneficial to the greenhouse management students because they are learning how to grow plants from seed and propagation; whereas, the greenhouse is beneficial to the STEM students when learning how to raise and breed fish along with growing plants in the water,” STEM teacher Wesley Hilton said.
The students plan to have a plant sale in May, where the community can be involved in the students’ production and help the students raise money for different, school-related causes. The students hope to sell their flowers and vegetables for the community to use in their gardens.
“We thought the greenhouse would be a great hands-on learning opportunity for students. It gives the students real-life, hands-on experiences,” agricultural teacher Karen Roudabush said.
The greenhouse was needed for the two classes B-E offers STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and greenhouse management. STEM is a class that combines all the previously stated areas. The STEM class focuses on managing the aquaponics system in the greenhouse while the greenhouse management class works to grow herb, vegetable and flower plants in the greenhouse.
Receiving the greenhouse allows the greenhouse management class to gain more information about plants, flowers and leadership skills. Students learn how to manage the greenhouse along with how to plant, manage and maintain diverse types of herb, vegetable and flower plants. It helps FFA members with CDEs such as natural resources and floriculture.
The new addition to our school, the greenhouse, allows the STEM class to grasp a better understanding of how aquaponics systems work. The STEM class currently has five Tilapia fish. The STEM class learns how to grow plans within the aquaponic system along with raising the fish.
“As being equipment manager, I’ve really enjoyed my position. I spend most of my time in the greenhouse, learning new things, watering the plants and feeding the fish. I enjoy nature and the outdoors, so by having this greenhouse, I can enjoy growing plants and raising fish no matter the temperature outside,” junior Jevin Eddy said.
The greenhouse is maintained by a committee of students taking the greenhouse management class. Students applied by filling out an application and were selected for positions the teacher thought fit the student.
The greenhouse’s temperature is controlled by two different thermometers. The greenhouse is to stay between 80 and 90 degrees, with one thermometer set at 80 and the other at 90. When the greenhouse becomes too hot, the fans in the back and front of the greenhouse automatically open. When the greenhouse becomes too cold, the heater automatically kicks in. During the winter, the greenhouse is kept warm by a propane gas heater and in the summer, it is kept cool by an evaporating cooling system.
“The greenhouse is beneficial to our community because of the vegetables and flowers we plan on selling in our plant sale. Normally, folks would have to drive to Mitchell to obtain their plants for gardening but by having a greenhouse in town, we are able to help people out in that way. The greenhouse is beneficial to the greenhouse management students because they are learning how to grow plants from seed and propagation; whereas, the greenhouse is beneficial to the STEM students when learning how to raise and breed fish along with growing plants in the water,” STEM teacher Wesley Hilton said.
The students plan to have a plant sale in May, where the community can be involved in the students’ production and help the students raise money for different, school-related causes. The students hope to sell their flowers and vegetables for the community to use in their gardens.
