Greenhouse Garden Sustainability Initiative

Project Description

The Greenhouse Garden Sustainability Initiative at Greenburgh Graham School was created to change our greenhouse into a growing space that supports student learning and strengthens environmental goals. 

Planting at our greenhouse is now sustainable. Students learn about rain water cycle, composting, and climate change through hands-on work. 

This project includes installing a rainwater collection system, starting a compost program using food scraps from our Culinary Arts classes, and the use of a drip irrigation system to save water. 

We also made space for reduced soil planting with Hydroponic towers and planted 6 outdoor planters. 

The greenhouse connects to other sustainability projects at our school, including the Zen Garden and our Community Vegetable Garden. Students not only grow food and flowers but also learn life & work skills, teamwork, and what it means to actually be part of a team. 

Outputs 

• 3 rain barrels with gutter connection for rainwater harvesting. 

• 1 composting system with bins, tumblers, and student care teams established.  

• 1 drip irrigation system with a timer for water efficiency. 

• 200+ seedlings transplanted into Community Vegetable Garden, and outdoor flower beds. 

• 6 Outdoor Planters created for additional diverse growth. 

• 30+ students helped with greenhouse design, building, composting, planting, and maintenance. 

• 5–6 teachers use greenhouse lessons in their classrooms (science, sustainability, vocational training). 

Outcomes 

• As a result, our school uses 70% less tap water for gardening, thanks to rain collection and drip irrigation. 

• As a result, approximately 12lbs/ week of food waste from the Culinary Arts program is turned to compost. Our greenhouse now purchases less fertilizer. 

• As a result, at least 3 classrooms incorporated greenhouse projects into lessons on plant biology, life skills, and gardening curriculum. 

• As a result, our outdoor campus is more welcoming and climate-resilient, with flowering plants and vegetables, and production of such has increased by 50%.

• As a result, students have built confidence and pride by working on a project that makes a visible difference at school. 

Process 

First I want to thank Mrs Valencia who helped support me in feeling like this is something I could do. The project started with meetings in which students and staff came together to figure out the best systems for rainwater collection, composting, and irrigation. 

After receiving the grant, we ordered barrels, gutters, compost bins, drip irrigation supplies, and tools. 

Students built the rain barrel system with guidance and tools from staff, learning how to connect gutters and fill barrels. Culinary students collected food scraps that became the “fuel” for our new compost system, and staff and students together helped build all of our big systems. 

When fall came, we started seedlings in trays inside the greenhouse to transplant to our vegetable garden and our outdoor planters in the spring. For many of us, we knew nothing about growing and taking care of plants properly. We certainly didn't know there was a way to grow plants without soil. 

Students documented the process with photos and shared reflections in class. 

Lessons Learned 

One of the biggest lessons I learned is patience. Everything does not just magically happen and come together. It takes teamwork, time, and commitment. Plants don’t grow overnight, and systems like composting and rainwater collection take time to show results. The project taught us how to stay committed and consistent, even when we didn’t see changes right away. 

Setting up rain barrels means measuring and drilling. Composting means dealing with bugs, and irrigation means getting soaked sometimes. But all of it showed us how to take waste and turn it into life. 

We also learned that teamwork is everything. It wasn’t always easy, but by the end, I felt confident leading younger ASD students in the greenhouse and explaining how the systems worked. 

I learned that sustainability isn't as hard as it looks. Once we made these plans and put in the work, we realized the changes we've implemented will continue to benefit us beyond this project.

Students Involved 

● [1] Student Project Leader age 18 

● [30] Total Project Participants (excluding leaders) 

● [3] Project Participants aged 15–24 (excluding leaders)

Thank You's 

• Greenburgh Graham Administrators 

○ Dara Joseph (Superintendent) 

○ Rakeem Callands (Assistant Superintendent) 

○ Tracy Woodson ( District Clerk) 

○ Cara Kennedy (Director of Special Education) 

• Greenburgh Graham Facilities Department 

• Culinary Arts Program 

• Our Vocational and Life Skills Teachers 

○ Mrs. Amanda Nass 

○ Mrs. Tatiana Velez 

○ Mrs. Savitri Tillack 

• All Greenburgh Graham student participants who worked in the greenhouse and gardens 

• Bloomberg Philanthropies YCAF staff 

• Mayor Armacost and the Hastings-on-Hudson community members  

• Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Project Share 

• Finally, for significant contribution to project & facilitating student participation: 

○ Mr. Anthony Aguiar

○ Mrs. Rosie Puthiyamadam 

○ Mrs. Rachel Blitzer 

○ Mr. Joseph Smoot 

○ Mr. David Alexandre 

○ Mrs. Jessica Morgiewicz-Sauka 

○ Mrs. Laura Valencia 

○ Mrs. Lori Nassif