Principles of Engineering (POE) classes, taught by science teacher Vincent Tokarz, have taken on yet another project: to build a greenhouse for the school. Once completed, the greenhouse will be used as part of a curriculum for the students of the FRIENDS room.

Funding for the project was given by the Noah Wallace Foundation and the Board of Education with the purpose of the project to focus on goals of the school district.   

“The purpose of the greenhouse is to promote the district goals as indicated in the Vision of the Graduate. The students were very eager to take on this project, and we very much look forward to getting outside to finish the job come the nice springtime weather,” Tokarz said.                     Sophomore Chris Lagosz is the student project manager. His job is to be in charge of construction and layout of the interior.

Also, his goal is to make sure that the greenhouse is completely handicap accessible. Michael Griffin, completed a capstone project about the development and maintenance of greenhouses at schools.

With support, “The walls were assembled with the aid of Mr. Tokarz’s three POE classes. Our progress came to a stop after we completed all four of the walls due to the fact that there was no foundation or base to ground it to,” Lagosz said.

Despite the halt in their project, the classes were cooperative and patient as contractors constructed the base. As of now, the foundation has been completed.

Special education teacher Marybeth Griffin hopes that the greenhouse will help cultivate the learning of her students in ways that it has never been before.

“The greenhouse provides a variety of new ways to teach and apply skills in various subject areas, such as math and science while also providing opportunities for our students to navigate their own learning and in doing so begin to develop their leadership skills,”Griffin said.

2015 alumni and Griffin’s son, from special education teacher Kerry Tharpe and Mental Health Response Team teacher Ryan Nevers, he designed a curriculum that his mother could use with her students at the high school.

“Mr. Nevers and I co-advised Michael Griffin for his custom capstone to develop a curriculum for students with disabilities to use the greenhouse. We researched and chose the best greenhouse for the space and wheelchair use,” Tharpe said.

In order to show their support for the project, Griffin’s students plan to sell the herbs and flowers that they grow in the school store that they plan to open soon. They hope to grow their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Anyone interested in viewing the progress of the greenhouse can take a look at it in the courtyard between the 500s and the cafeteria.