Mattawa's F.J. McElligott Secondary School is gearing up for another season of growth in its unique learning environment, FJ's Blooming Greenhouse. Since 2014, the greenhouse has been producing annual plants and budding green thumbs thanks in large part to the efforts of dedicated educators and community members.
The greenhouse itself, which technically sits on Town of Mattawa property, was donated to the school by resident and council member Laura Ross on the condition that its use be tied to academics. Retired teacher Martha Goodfellow has been instrumental to the operation of the greenhouse and its links to curriculum. It's a role that Goodfellow continues to this day out of her love for gardening and working with youth.
Teacher Frank Salesio says initially students in science courses did much of the planting but more recently participation alternates yearly with a green industries class and a health and nutrition class. After the planting is done and after the last frost, the class tied to the greenhouse will plant the town planters, as well as some flower beds around the Mattawa community.
"During the planting phase, students prepare trays, mix soil, pot up seedlings, tag pots and plant vegetable seed carts," Salesio says. "In the green industries class, we do units on horticulture and agriculture hands-on style. In health and nutrition there are units on eating patterns and trends and nutrition and health."
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