Going green: Morrison High School celebrates new greenhouse, plans include helping community

MORRISON — Morrison High School teachers and staff members held a ribboncutting ceremony Thursday for the school’s new greenhouse.

Principal David Mills said the greenhouse was built by volunteers and completely paid for through local donations and fundraising. The greenhouse will be used as a space for hands-on learning and student projects.

“Our FFA alumni did all the fundraising last year for this,” Mills said. “This was kind of a dream of the FFA alumni, and it’s taken a couple of years once we started to get going, but it was approved by the ROE [Regional Office of Education] last Monday. So, students have already been in it, and they can see some of the projects they’ve already started working on.”

Agricultural Sciences teacher Tonia Prombo said the school’s greenhouse “is a long time coming,” and hopes to see it expand in the future.

“Eventually, we’re hoping to get a small outdoor garden,” Prombo said. “It would just be convenient. Plus, that allows kids that need volunteer or Impact hours, to come and help take care of things. They can pick that produce and then donate it to somewhere like the food bank. We could even possibly have the ability to start another farmers market in town. Our FFA kids would love to see that happen.”

Prombo said students and other volunteers started building the greenhouse in June.

“We had several students come in all summer long to help us build,” Prombo said. “One of our goals is for the students to be able to help run things in here. That way, when we are not available, we know there is a responsible student to order plants and take care of things. It’s a good leadership and responsibility opportunity for them.”

This year, Prombo appointed one of her senior students, Keegan Strobbe, to be the greenhouse manager.

“He’s so good with mechanical stuff and he already knows so much about the building,” Prombo said. “He even helped install the filtration system.”

Strobbe credits his skills and work ethic to his family.

“I learned a lot from my father,” Strobbe said. “My family is very hands on with work stuff and I’m grateful to have the ability to know and do those kinds of things.”

“We hope it will be self-sustainable in about a year or so,” Strobbe said. “Getting that figured out is a big one but once we do, we can start helping the community.”