Greenhouse effort raises $9,000 toward goal

by Che Roussel For Pilot
| November 18, 2014 9:30 PM

Many of the recent changes at Whitefish High School are obvious, such as the new school or schedule. While these may be the most prevalent to the public eye, a new ecological way of thinking is starting to gain traction at the school.

Most recently, Project FREEFLOW (Flathead River Educational Effort for Focused Learning in Our Watershed) started collaborating with community philanthropist Richard Atkinson to raise $25,000 for a new educational greenhouse on campus.

Atkinson, also known as “Old Man Walking,” has returned five years later as “Older Man Walking” to once again participate in grassroots fundraising for the school district. If students manage to reach their fundraising goal of $25,000, Atkinson will match them the same amount to finish off the costs.

Through the efforts of community contributions, student written grants, and fundraisers, the greenhouse project has already accumulated $9,039 in donations.

If fundraising goals are met, the new greenhouse is expected to be ready for use by spring of 2015

The greenhouse will serve as a method of teaching for classes focused around sustainability, and as a way to locally produce food for the students.

The importance of local food has been demonstrated through numerous programs since the beginning of the year. The recent Harvest Festival kicked off fundraising for the greenhouse by hosting local farmers’ produce for the final time this summer season.

FREEFLOW succeeded in raising $1,800 from the event.

Many of the farms at the Harvest Festival later showcased their facilities to WHS’s freshman who are part of a food systems class taught by science teacher Eric Sawtelle and English teacher Nicole Reed. Students visited farms and spoke with various local farmers.

The Whitefish Review is currently in collaboration with FREEFLOW students with their upcoming publication on the theme “The Geography of Hope.” Students had the opportunity to share their thoughts on what this project meant to them and how the geography of hope was relevant to the greenhouse project.