Tucked away on the second floor of Coventry Middle School is a room not like any other in the school.
This past summer construction got underway to convert a non-utilized former chemistry lab into a controlled environment agricultural greenhouse, said Coventry Middle School teacher Jim Trogdon.
Starting out, Trogdon, who has been teaching in Coventry Local Schools for 22 years, said he had a 20-gallon fish tank on a desk with a light over it several years ago to grow some plants. He said his class has come a long way from that setup.
“For kids to see this progress is so important,” Trogdon said. “Often times they don’t get to see a project through.”
This year is a learning year for the greenhouse, Trogdon said, as he has 10 eighth-grade students helping him during their independent study period.
“They [the students] know what needs done each day,” Trodgon said. “They have a checklist, which helps them out.”
The greenhouse room is kept at 75 degrees F, he said, and there are several sections of plants with large lights overtop. Each section of plants also has a water tank below it, as this system of growing is known as hydroponics, Trogdon said.
He added he and his students have been working closely with CropKing Inc., of Lodi, which specializes in controlled-environment agriculture and hydroponic growing.
