Specialty Crop

Turbulent weather and less-than-favorable soil did not stop Paintbrush from its gardening goals. At the beginning of the 2022 fall semester, students put together their own mini-hydroponics units—19 units total. Each unit is equipped with lights and a water system along with the seeds the students choose for their group’s unit. The school also has one four-foot-tall commercial unit with space for 216 plant pods.

In total, there are more than 400 pods in which students and teachers grow lettuce, cilantro, strawberries, and much more. The hydroponics STEM program, mostly funded by grant dollars from Green Our Planet (see listing in National section), was the first of its kind in Wyoming. Of the $10,000 needed to set up the program, $8,000 was covered by grant funds with $2,000 covered by the school district. Students are allowed to reap what they sow by enjoying snacks in the classroom and taking produce home.

“It really brings the standards to life,” Principal Jenni Gilson said of the program, as reported by the Gillette News Record. “I like the connections we’re going to be able to use with this for kids, and it gives teachers another way to teach the sciences.”