GREENHOUSE & ENERGY CLASSROOM

Greenhouse & energy classroom....
new learning opportunities

2021 video produced by
media broadcasting student josiah brakenhoff

2018 and onward
Students and volunteers are building a 32'x36' greenhouse and energy classroom. This innovative, hands-on endeavor is providing exciting learning opportunities for MLHS students. It illustrates ways to put math, physics and science to work into real life practices. When the greenhouse is finished, students will raise plants and vegetables fed by an aquaponic system raising fish. The entire system is heated by geo-thermal, passive solar and biomass. Students will make their own ethanol in the energy classroom.

Thank you to these businesses for supporting our project

Schmeeckle Foundation--$20,000 Grant
3M Foundation--$22,500 Eco Grant
Cargill Cares--$10,000+$5,000 Corporate match
Minnesota Independent School Forum-$7,500
Chevy Drive for Education Contest-$2,500
Allen C. Berndt Foundation-$2,000
Fox Lake Conservation League-$1,000
Anonymous business in Mankato-$1,000

Rich Wolf is our volunteer project coordinator.
3M has offered the volunteer services of two engineers through their Leadership Develoment Program.

Federated REA-$1,000,
Compeer-$700
Basin Electric power Cooperative-$500
Crystal Valley Coop-$500
Land O’Lakes Foundation-$500
Poet Biorefineries-$250
Crop Production Services-$50

BoeKett Building Supply of Fairmont, St. James Electric and Terra Therm of New Richland have offered an additional $9,739 in corporate underwriting—reducing our expenses.

Even though the school sits surrounded by corn and soybean fields, our past Science program has been limited by four walls and the lack of revenue. Adding a greenhouse and a shop has been a multi-decade desire of many Martin Luther High School teachers, students and parents. Since 2004 Martin Luther High School has tried to add a greenhouse and shop to our building. Parents, students, and donors have requested that more agriculturally driven course offerings be adding to our curriculum. We were given a sizable donation by a retired farmer who designated the gift for this type of project. We wish to honor that initial gift. In 2018 the Martin Luther High School Board of Directors authorized the administration to pursue the additional funding to complete the project. Another key factor that was finally in place is having teachers with the desire, skills and passion to make this happen. Science teachers Nate Watt and Paul Steinhaus have the "outside the box thinking" needed for this type of innovation. They have spent many hours studying the aquaponic growing systems, visiting other growing systems, collaborating with experts, and planning our system to be unique and self-sustaining. Many things came together to make this dream a reality. We believe that this project will allow our students to be creative thinkers via concepts that are new and cutting-edge. The shop area contains area for experimenting with alternative fuel sources such as alcohol, electricity, bio-mass, and bio diesel. Passive solar lighting is used on both sides of our facility.

Soli deo gloria

2018 groundbreaking and summer

The wet spring and summer rains delayed the entire project. Groundbreaking was held on July 3rd and then we were put on hold again.

OUR PROGRESS BEFORE THE SEPTEMBER 2018 STORM

SEPTEMBER 2018 STORM

rebuilding after the storm

building again in september

October 2018
Thank you to Lonny & Jeanne Schwieger of HenWay MFG,
for lending us the equipment,
and to Caleb Roiger for using his skills in
operating it, to help us raise the roof!

Special thank you goes to Rich Wolf, Project Manager.
thank you to the adult and student volunteers, also!

Principal Paul steinhaus and science teacher nate watt are overseeing the project.

an early winter brought things to a halt.

Fish, Flora and Fuel for the Future