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Gladiola students convert decommissioned school bus into greenhouse and sell produce to fund program
Summary
Students in a Gladiola High garden and construction internship built planters, started an indoor tower for year-round growing and are renovating a decommissioned bus into a greenhouse; program leaders said the internship teaches construction and entrepreneurship with donated materials and community volunteers.
Students and staff at Gladiola High School presented the board with a hands-on example of alternative education in Grants Pass.
Jalen Jenkins, a district 7 teacher who said he has taught at Gladiola and at Grants Pass High, described a student-led garden and a construction internship where students removed seats and windows from a decommissioned school bus and are converting it into a greenhouse using donated plexiglass from Redwood Glass and volunteer help from Doug Walker.
Jenkins said the garden class covers the full cycle from seed to harvest, includes food-safety lessons and cooking projects, and supports entrepreneurial work: students sell produce and reclaimed-wood items to fund the program. He highlighted construction skills (power tools, shelving, truss-building using repurposed skis) and said the work helps students gain trade experience and marketable skills.
Several students spoke about the internshipJaden Sanchez said the program provides paid work experience through Project Youth Plus and helps students explore construction trades; Mikaela Gonzalez described learning to square corners, use power tools and build shelves.
Board members praised the presentation and asked about expansion and links with regional events. Jenkins thanked community donations and volunteers and asked the board to note the programthe board did not take formal action on the presentation.
