LITTLETON, Colo. — Mackintosh Academy’s greenhouse is a hub of learning and growth, with hands-on lessons for students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. It’s about to get some major upgrades, thanks to a grant from the Colorado Garden Foundation
“This is an amazing opportunity for students to actually get outside of the classroom and apply science concepts and skills that they've been learning in the classroom,” said Lara Pausback, director of instruction and associate head of school for Mackintosh Academy. “We have lots of students who attend our school who are very passionate about service and the environment, and they want to know what they can do to help.”
Fifth graders Lucas Brion and Orion Eckert are two of the students who spend their time taking care of plants in the greenhouse. They’re part of a student organization dubbed The Do-Gooders, whose mission is to help improve things all around campus.
“I really like working with plants. I don't know why. It just feels like I'm helping them grow up, and it just feels like I'm their parent or something,” said Orion. “It just feels so good.”
“Usually we help these plants grow up, and then we sell them for a school fundraiser,” said Lucas. “We raise a lot of money, and we can have a lot better education for students if we raise more money.”
The school is looking to build a new drip irrigation system in the greenhouse, update its composting program, buy more soil and seeds, and many other horticulture improvements. The projects are going to be funded by The Colorado Garden Foundation, which gave Mackintosh a grant of just over $4,000.
“Our mission is to further horticulture in Colorado,” said Jim Fricke, executive director of the Colorado Garden Foundation. “We find that awarding that project and similar projects like that is really educational for the kids.”
The foundation is giving out more than $800,000 this year in grants to over 150 nonprofits across the state of Colorado. One hundred percent of the ticket sales from the foundation-run Colorado Garden and Home Show are used to fund these grants.
“I see the benefits of the show for the people who are here, but then I see the benefits as an organization that we're able to take and expand throughout the state of Colorado,” said Fricke. “Whether it's kids or plants, we nurture at the beginning, and then we bring it up and we watch it grow.”
The Colorado Garden and Home Show runs through Sunday, Feb. 16. It’s open on weekdays from noon to 6 p.m. As for the weekend, the show is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information on the show, you can check out their website here.
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