Plant sale helps fund green industries projects at high school
Students in the green industries program at Stayner Collegiate Institute (SCI) are busy preparing for the annual plant sale.
It is a chance to share their newly learned horticultural skills with the community and support the program financially.
Natalie Graham, a green industries student who is also in charge of media relations, said there will be about 800 plants available at the sale, including annuals, perennials, house plants, and vegetables. All the plants are student-grown.
Graham said after taking her first year of green industries she went home and convinced her father to put in a vegetable garden at home.
“It was really fun to get into it and learn about how things grow,” she said, adding that she grew cucumbers last summer and made her own pickles.
Graham said the sale is run by student volunteers (with teacher supervision) who can provide growing instructions and advice. Careful planning has gone into sowing the seeds and caring for the plants so they are at the right stage for planting later in the spring.
Proceeds from the sale go back into the program to augment the budget for growing materials, tools and supplies.
“That’s why the students work so hard to make sure the sale is a success,” said Graham.
SCI is one of only two high schools in the province with a fully functional greenhouse classroom. A green industries course provides students with knowledge and practical skills, and aims to equip them for various green industry roles. The curriculum includes safe working practices, environmental and social issues, and career pathways. In combination with an agriculture day hosted by the school each fall, the green industries program can help connect students with professionals in the industry, possibly leading to careers in horticulture and agriculture through co-op placements and summer jobs.
The May 9 sale is held in the greenhouse from 9 a.m. to noon, with many varieties selling out at last year’s sale.
Stayner Collegiate Institute is located at 7578 Highway 26. Sales are cash only.
Trina Berlo photo: Simeon Perry and Samuel Dixon water plants in the greenhouse at Stayner Collegiate Institute during their green industries class.
