Auburn High students build greenhouse for Earth Day, gain real-world skills

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Students at Auburn High School got a chance to celebrate Earth Day by planting a greenhouse at Wayne’s Feed Store.

Students from several academies, including Production and Health Services, joined forces to help the students with the project.

Auburn teacher Clifford Chappell said that, as well as being helpful to the environment, the greenhouse gave students a chance to practice real-world skills outside of the classroom.

“Sometimes in the classroom, you don’t necessarily have the resources to do these really big problem-solving activities using some really big practical math,” Chappell said. “It builds character, it builds the ability to initiative and self-drive. Right? You gotta be able to get up every day and go to work. On a gloomy day like today, we were a little concerned that we weren’t going to get students to show up, but everybody showed up wanting to work, and wanting to be a part of this activity.”

Chappell added that Auburn students have completed several projects around the community, but the greenhouse was the largest one yet.

He invited other businesses to reach out if they have projects they may want students to help with.