Fifth Street greenhouse supplies district lunch salad bars and community food banks, coordinator says
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Summary
The district greenhouse has delivered thousands of pounds of lettuce to district schools and community organizations; staff and trustees described grants, volunteer engagement and plans to expand growing space with a $50,000 T-Mobile grant.
Sheridan County School District #2's Fifth Street Greenhouse has supplied the district's salad bars and community food organizations, and the program leaders told trustees the operation plans to expand thanks to recent grants.
Shaili Cooper, introduced by district staff as the greenhouse coordinator, told the board the program implemented a hydroponic system with help from a specialty crop block grant and local partners. "We got our first harvest from that just about a year ago. And since then, we have sent out over 3,000 pounds of lettuce," Cooper said.
Cooper said the lettuce is used primarily during the school year across district cafeterias; surplus produce has been shared with the community, the food group, the Salvation Army Food Bank and smaller recipients. She said student engagement has been strong: "So far, we have brought in right under 600 kids this year," Cooper said, describing seed-starting classes, horticulture collaborations and planned work with special education students next year.
Funding came from multiple sources. Cooper credited the specialty crop block grant for the hydroponic start, a Wyoming Community Foundation grant that increased the greenhouse coordinator position from 20 to 30 hours per week, and a $50,000 T-Mobile grant that will allow the district to open two more bays and bring tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers into school lunches by next year.
Trustee Langton suggested the district publicize how much produce is going into student meals. Trustees thanked Cooper and volunteers; the board also heard that volunteers assist with Monday harvests, transplanting and garden beds assembled with help from Rooted in Wyoming.
The greenhouse program is also part of student learning: Chaney Baer's horticulture class visits each semester and builds hydroponic systems; elementary students attend seed-starting classes. Cooper told trustees the hands-on program offers experiences many schools lack and noted plans to expand student involvement and volunteer coordination next school year.
Trustees thanked staff for securing grants and for community partnerships; no formal action was required on the greenhouse update, but board members requested continued updates as the program grows.