By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
The long-abandoned greenhouse at Marysville Pilchuck High School, unused for the past 15 years, is being revitalized for the start of the 2024-25 school year as part of the MPHS Greenhouse Project. It all started when a few teachers, including Biology teacher Kayla Carter and Head of the Science Department Claire Luvera, walked by the neglected lot and thought, “Why is this land just going to waste?” This question inspired Kayla and her colleagues to bring the greenhouse back to life, seeing it as a valuable resource for students and the community.
Kayla and Claire took the issue to the school administration, who approved their plan to clean up the greenhouse. This was no small task, as the greenhouse had been an eyesore on the MP campus for over a decade. Undeterred, they gathered tools, secured funding, and rallied support through community donations. Blackberry bushes had overtaken the buildings, walkways, and even the inside of the greenhouse. The monumental undertaking began at the start of summer, clearing the overgrown foliage, removing debris, digging out walkways, and bringing in an electrician to get the building operational.
Inspired by this potential, Kayla Carter, who was in her first year at Pilchuck, saw an opportunity to transform the space. “From my classroom, I could see this big greenhouse and land,” she said. Motivated by what it could become, Carter started the greenhouse project. “To get it going, we needed a lot of help from the community,” she explained. Initially, it was just her and another teacher working on the project, but the community’s response has been incredibly supportive. According to Carter, they’ve been offered tools, donations of lumber and compost, and a tree company helped trim trees.
The plan is to form a garden club to maintain everything, and involve students in activities like testing water and soil, and growing different plants in various areas. Carter said, “The garden club will sell flowers and, hopefully, tomato starts for the program,”
For Carter, this project is about more than just gardening; it’s about bringing kids outside and connecting them with nature. “Some kids these days don’t go outside enough,” she said. She hopes that by having students grow plants they helped start, they will enjoy getting their hands dirty and seeing nature up close. “One of my dreams is to have students eat what they grew,” Carter shared, emphasizing her desire to have the students experience the entire cycle of growing and enjoying their food.
Luvera expressed enthusiasm for the new project and its potential impact on the curriculum. “We will be able to do so many labs and hands-on activities in all our life sciences,” she said. She explained that the decision to start this initiative was made earlier in the year. “Back in April, we looked around and decided to work on this project,” Luvera recalled. Her excitement for the future is apparent, especially regarding increasing student engagement through practical learning. “I am excited to get more hands-on activities for the kids,” she added. Luvera also shared her hope to revive an agriculture program, which would provide even more opportunities for experiential learning.
Eliza Davis, a member of the Marysville School Board, has been actively involved in supporting positive initiatives within the district. “I reached out to different organizations,” she said, explaining her efforts to find support for the greenhouse project. As someone deeply familiar with the challenges and negativity within the district, Davis wanted to focus on something positive happening in the schools.
“While on a tour, the Principal of MP, Peter Apple, told me about some teachers interested in getting this program going again,” Davis explained. Motivated by this opportunity, she connected with a few organizations and the non-profit Best Schools Marysville, which is dedicated to restoring schools in the community. The organization was eager to help and donated money to support the program.
Davis recalls that the program was once award-winning, with students making wreaths for Christmas and growing flowers for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. “There are lots of opportunity for students to learn about business and practical, real-world skills,” she said. She is enthusiastic about seeing passionate young teachers. “It’s nice to see young teachers come in and want to change the culture and rebuild the program,” Davis added, reflecting on the potential for growth in the district.
The greenhouse project will continue throughout the school year, with plans to turn the greenhouse back into a functioning classroom. The district will decide later in the year whether to reopen the class. In the meantime, Carter and her team are hopeful for ongoing community support and involvement. For more information and updates, visit their Facebook page, MPHS greenhouse project.