Planned high school center becomes larger than dream

As a 2016 Whitefish High School graduate, I am proud to call myself a Bulldog, but I’m even more honored to be a FREEFLOW alumni. During my four years at WHS, I was a member of this club and involved in the idea for a greenhouse, or what is now more appropriately named the Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship.

At first that’s all it was, an idea. Inspired by a youth food summit at the University of Montana, we envisioned a hoop house where students could learn about sustainable agriculture and grow food for the school cafeteria. This dream became a reality when Richard and Carol Atkinson joined our team. They helped us not only to reach our goal, but actually exceed it through grassroots fundraising carried out by FREEFLOW. Students dedicated their time by staying after school to call people for donations, creating a video with information about the project, and some of us even sacrificed sleep to wake up early and walk with Richard as Older Man Walking. None of this would’ve been possible without the encouragement of our advisors, Mr. Sawtelle and Mrs. Reed. Little did we know that our modest greenhouse would grow into the facility being planned today.

After raising $70,000 through initial donations, more members of the community stepped up to share their knowledge with us, and from there the ideas (and money) started flowing. I do regret not being able to experience the facility as a student, but I’m grateful to leave a legacy in my place. Now, I am a student at Colorado School of Mines studying environmental engineering, and I accredit FREEFLOW for inspiring my dream to promote sustainable lifestyles and renewable energy around the world. I hope the Whitefish community will support this amazing project that the students of WHS have worked so hard to make a reality.

Cassidy Grady is a graduate of Whitefish High School.