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Rice Lake ag teacher thanks Compeer Financial for $4,000 grant to support greenhouse, student projects
Summary
Ag teacher Pete Kolpak thanked Compeer Financial for a $4,000 grant used to buy LED grow lights and update lettuce-tower lighting; he also highlighted a record livestock sale with proceeds benefiting Rice Lake students.
Pete Kolpak, the ag teacher and FFA advisor at Rice Lake High School, addressed the board to thank Compeer Financial and Doug Kuchko for a $4,000 ag‑education and classroom‑equipment grant awarded in the spring. Kolpak said the district has spent $2,565 so far on LED grow lights and plans to install a second bank of grow lights in the greenhouse to improve flowering plants and expand production for a spring plant sale and the school lunch program.
Kolpak also described recent participation at the Berrien County Fair: the district’s youth sold 96 animals and realized a record‑breaking sale increase he estimated at about $60,000; he said roughly $134,000 of the sale proceeds went to Rice Lake students (noting this figure represents sale proceeds, not net profit). Kolpak said the grants and fair proceeds help students fund future education and learning experiences.
Board members thanked Kolpak; the board gave him positive support to explore a hoop greenhouse at the conservancy site with possible grant funding.
