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CUSTER — Mason County Eastern Schools students are harvesting more than vegetables from the school’s newly revitalized greenhouse — they are cultivating sustainability, environmental awareness and hands-on science education.
The MCE School Greenhouse project transformed an unused campus greenhouse into a student-led sustainability and food-production program through partnerships involving Mason County Eastern science classes, the district’s food service department, Michigan State University Extension and the Mason County Library Seed Library.
The initiative was sparked by students Miley Kessel and Afton Shoup, along with science teacher Noah Albrecht and Food Service Director Dana Kessel.
The project began with students cleaning the greenhouse, securing grant funding, preparing soil beds and launching a full planting cycle. Throughout the process, students gained practical experience in planting, composting, watering and monitoring plant health.
The greenhouse has already produced fruits and vegetables that are being incorporated into school lunches, increasing student access to fresh and healthy food.
Student innovation has been central to the project’s success. Learners designed seasonal growing plans, experimented with efficient watering and composting systems, and adjusted planting schedules to improve crop production.
Students also collaborated with food service staff to clean and prepare harvested produce while working together to solve challenges involving soil quality and plant disease.
School officials said the project has helped establish a sustainable, closed-loop system connecting food production, waste reduction and environmental stewardship.
Beyond food production, the greenhouse has become a learning laboratory where students examine broader environmental issues including landfill overcrowding, resource conservation, food transportation emissions and sustainable agriculture practices.
Cross-curricular lessons involving science, STEM, agriculture and nutrition have reinforced those concepts, while student presentations and demonstrations have helped expand awareness throughout the school community.
The project was designed with long-term sustainability in mind and includes structured maintenance schedules, student leadership teams, curriculum integration and continued collaboration with community partners.
Future plans call for expanding crop varieties and increasing student-led research opportunities to ensure the greenhouse remains a lasting educational and community resource.
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