DuBois Area High School opens greenhouse

The faculty and staff have always wanted a greenhouse at the DuBois Area High School (DAHS) and were finally presented with the perfect opportunity! In the spring of 2020, the school was able to purchase a greenhouse, in part, from a grant through Lowes. With the support from administration and staff, the greenhouse was built over the summer months and ready to use in the fall of 2020.

Gretchen Clark and Megan Nelen started to order supplies needed for the greenhouse and created a greenhouse club. The teachers and students began planting vegetables and flowers from seed. The students kept a daily journal of their observations and plant growth. The club ordered flower plugs from BFG Supply Company. As spring started, the club began to put together combination hanging baskets. They also filled small pots of flowers, made flats of flowers and potted many vegetables. They had a greenhouse sale in May open to the faculty and staff at DAHS and community members, which was a great success!

This has been a great experience for students to learn how to cultivate vegetables and flowers and care for them by watering, fertilizing, thinning and keeping them trimmed and healthy on a daily basis. It has also given students the experience of working in a greenhouse and learning the day-to-day operations of a small business.

The Greenhouse Club and the Art Department collaborated to create clay pots with metal card holders filled with flowers. This idea turned out to be a great success! Students hand-made the clay pots, our greenhouse club filled the pots with flowers, and then they added the metal card holder. At our greenhouse sale, they encouraged people to buy a plant for a resident at Christ The King Manor as a donation and token of kindness. The Greenhouse Club members then delivered the flower pots to the residents! The residents were thrilled with the donated flower pots and enjoyed the generous gift!

Next school year (2021-2022), A botany class has been created for 11th and 12th grade students. It will be co-taught with a biology teacher and greenhouse advisor and will incorporate the greenhouse and give students a hands-on learning experience. This class will let students explore all aspects of plant growth and development, plant communities and the role of plants in ecosystems.

The DuBois Area High School Greenhouse has been a great addition and success to the school district! The students have learned to appreciate the natural beauty of the plants and they have gained a deeper understanding of plant growth. The greenhouse has provided students with knowledge of cultivating plants, learning how to maintain a greenhouse and experience with selling and running a small business. DAHS is excited for new ideas to develop over the next several years!