Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Alexandria) announced that Alexandria Area High School has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC) to support the school's "Greenhouse Grow Lights" initiative. The funding will help upgrade the school's greenhouse and enhance student learning opportunities. New lighting will be installed to ensure optimal plant and flower growth and to allow students to use the greenhouse year-round.
"Understanding where our food comes from is an important experience that every student should have the opportunity to learn about," said Westrom. "Alexandria Area High School does a great job providing students with a strong agricultural foundation, and this grant will only expand the opportunities available to them."
For more than 25 years, MAELC has provided competitive grants, scholarships, and support for projects that advance agricultural, food, and natural resources (AFNR) education in Minnesota. Since its creation, MAELC has awarded more than $31 million statewide. These funds have had a significant impact on local programs; without them, many schools would not be able to offer high-quality AFNR courses.
