A PLACE TO LEARN — Indian Creek Middle School students are cultivating their minds with projects in the school’s new greenhouse. -- Contributed

MINGO JUNCTION — Indian Creek Middle School is cultivating students’ minds with the addition of a new greenhouse on the premises.

The 20-foot-by-24-foot structure was added behind the school and replaces a smaller version which was damaged by winds in the spring. Science teacher Michael Minor said the greenhouse can be used by his 25 students and others for educational projects.

A $21,000 grant from the Martha J. Earp Charitable Trust helped establish an afterschool STEM club to foster a more immersive learning experience, and portion of the funding was used to create a greenhouse to help students explore environmental science, biology and sustainability practices firsthand, as well as to help them understand the significance of environmental conservation and apply STEM concepts in real-life scenarios.

“We received a grant and the money helped purchase the greenhouse and establish an afterschool STEM program on the exterior of the building,” Minor explained. “The new greenhouse was added in early September by Yoder’s of New Philadelphia.”

Minor said one of the goals is to maintain plants through the winter using seedlings and established vegetation.

“We’ll look at adding pepper plants and others, but for now we will try simple lettuce and things that can handle colder temperatures,” he said. “After that, I’m probably going to start getting the hydroponics system set up. The point of keeping the greenhouse warm is keeping the water warm for the system through thermal mass.”

The hydroponics system, which grows plants using water-based nutrients instead of soil, was previously funded through a Best Practice Grant from the Jefferson County Educational Service Center. Minor said students would begin the seedlings in the system and continue maintaining the plants while possibly holding weekly sessions in the greenhouse. He noted that all of the classes at ICMS may utilize the site but he and his pupils have accessed it thus far. Students were organizing the interior of the greenhouse and planned to start doing projects in October.

“A lot of it will be monitoring and watering plants. All of the students will intermittently go out and do something and we will begin life science at the end of the year,” Minor said. “In the spring, local organizations wanted to do programs for students.”

Potential plans are to have a farm-to-table concept that is similar to the salad party his class previously held.