Grace High School has received a $10,000 grant from Bayer to build a state-of-the-art greenhouse.

The greenhouse will use hydroponic technology to keep plants productive year-round without the use of pots and other growing containers. By using underground heat, the facility will allow students and staff to grow fresh produce during cold months while enhancing the learning experience. This kind of opportunity is rare in Southeast Idaho, where winters typically dominate the weather during the school year.

Eli Hubbard, a teacher at Grace High School, sought funding for the project by reaching out to large companies in the area. While many were asked, Bayer was quick to respond, seeing value and potential in the project.

The proposal stood out because of its long-term vision of not only providing healthy foods but teaching students the entire growing process.

"Teach a man to fish, so to speak," Hubbard said.

Every dollar of the grant went toward building the 30-by-70-foot structure, which is designed to augment Grace High School's plant and soil science program. For Hubbard, the new greenhouse is more than just a building — it's an opportunity to bring science to life.

"I want to create a hands-on curriculum that kids will directly use in their futures no matter where they go," he said. "Instead of just talking about plant health, we can grow and directly measure plant health."

Inside the spacious greenhouse, students will now physically see and work through the full life cycle of plant science, including the fundamentals of different soil types, testing germination, stages of growth, photosynthesis and fruiting.

The plan is to begin with hardy plants such as spinach, kale and other leafy greens. As the program develops, Hubbard plans to branch out into tomato starts and other tree saplings.

While the greenhouse is already a standing structure, the list of work to be done on the inside is lengthy, including designing growing beds, running electricity and completing the geothermal heating system that will make year-round growing possible.

"I'm not going to lie, this is my first exposure to greenhouse management and I will be learning alongside the students," Hubbard said.

This is where the area's extensive community knowledge will come into play. The Grace area is full of growers with expertise in plant management, and Hubbard said this greenhouse will be another way to bridge student learning with the community.

The vision is to extend learning beyond classroom textbooks and spark agriculture interests through real-life experiences for Grace High School students, while also providing a year-round fresh supply of produce for local residents.

"People overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in 10," Hubbard said, quoting Bill Gates. "As long as we keep putting in the effort each year, good things will happen."

Thanks to companies like Bayer that help make such projects possible, Grace High School is working to spark student interests beyond the classroom and teach valuable life lessons.